How Long I've Dreamt
by bluephoenixsong
Summary: Jessica and Ryan have waited so long for the moment that they would tie the knot, but it's not an easy trip to the altar when you're a CSI. Thus continues the tale of their love and the shenanigans of getting married. Rated M for violence and adult themes.
1. An Afternoon Spent with Dad

**And they're baaaacccckk! Here is number twelve in my series featuring Jessica and Ryan!**

* * *

How long I've Dreamt

* * *

"_I will never forget the moment that we made that decision. That moment when we realized that love has no limits, though society does. It was an enchanting moment. Your face was flushed and your hair fell around your face in light wisps. You had never looked more beautiful to me than you did in that moment. It was then I realized what it was that I felt for you. It was that night that I decided to love you no matter what anyone said."_

* * *

An Afternoon Spent with Dad

* * *

"Ah, Oliver, no!" Ryan exclaimed as a stream of urine shot at him. He pressed the diaper back in place as his son laughed and smiled. "Damn it, Ollie," he muttered as he resumed changing his son's diaper at the changing station in the men's restroom at the park.

Another man washed his hands and smiled at the young Oliver. "Your son?" he asked.

"Yup, my little Oliver," Ryan proudly smiled.

"Beautiful eyes," the man commented.

"Thank you, he got them from his mother."

"You and your wife must be so proud," the man smiled.

Ryan shifted uneasily. "His mother and I actually aren't married," he commented as he placed Oliver back in his stroller.

"Oh," the man quietly said, "I see."

"It's not like that," Ryan quickly said as he began washing his hands, "We're engaged. Oliver was just a happy accident. We want children; Oliver just jumped the boat too soon."

The man smiled. "I see," he said, "Well congratulations, you have a beautiful son. I hope you have more children."

Ryan smiled weakly. "Thank you, he's actually our second."

"Oh really, you have another child?"

"Well, we had another child," Ryan quietly said, "Our daughter didn't make it."

The man's eyes grew twice in size. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Ryan nodded his head. He ran his fingers through Oliver's hair and smiled. "We almost lost Oliver during Jessica's last month of her pregnancy, but the little tike pulled through." Oliver grabbed his father's hand and bit his fingers. "Ouch, Ollie," Ryan said as he pulled his hand back, "That hurt." Oliver laughed and clapped his hands, smiling at his father.

"He laughs strange," the man commented.

"He's a baby," Ryan retorted, "Give him a break." Ryan pushed his stroller out of the restroom and resumed his walk through the park.

It had been six months since Ryan proposed to Jessica. They had already decided on a date and Jessica was quick to begin making plans. She had almost everything planned out, though they weren't getting married for another eighteen months.

It was a warm, sunny day, unseasonably warm for December, even in Miami. Ryan had decided to take Lucy and Oliver for a walk in the park. The black dog happily barked and leapt in front of Oliver's stroller and Ryan's son laughed with delight. Oliver was eight months old and was progressing in leaps and bounds. Ryan was elated to watch his son grow up, but saddened at the same time. Thoughts of little Oliver growing up made Ryan wish time would slow down just a little, so he could enjoy the life of fatherhood a little more.

Since their engagement six months prior Jessica and Ryan had been taking turns staying home with Oliver, switching off weeks depending on their current case load. At first Ryan had missed working at the lab full time, but quickly discovered the joys of being a stay at home dad. He took his son to the park and the store, often causing a commotion amongst other guests with how adorable little Oliver was. Oliver seemed to win over the heart of anyone who saw him. A few women had even asked for Ryan's number, though every time he explained he was happily engaged to the woman of his dreams.

Ryan held Oliver's hands securely as he helped his son attempt to walk in the grass. Though he wasn't even a year old, Oliver had taken to grasping any surface he could, in an attempt to travel quicker. His feet were clumsy and his attempts feeble, but Ryan encouraged him anyways. After a few minutes Oliver often tired and soon fell fast asleep. Sure enough Oliver's eyelids began to droop and Ryan scooped him into his arms and gingerly placed him in the stroller, before he began the walk back to his condo.

* * *

Shots rang out from every direction at the construction site. Horatio and Jessica each fired several times before they ran and ducked behind a large sewer drain pipe. They simultaneously clipped in new magazines and resumed their firing.

When the group of men began advancing towards them, they quickly changed their method. They each crawled into an end of the metal sewer pipe, their heads meeting in the middle. They grasped the other's arms and rolled the sewer pipe. It thundered and tumbled across the dirt and mud ground of the construction site, knocking over several of the gunmen.

The pipe crashed against a section of the tower and Horatio and Jessica slid out. They pulled out their guns again and faced the men. More shots rang out as the fight continued on. When the remaining men's gun slides locked, due to a lack of ammo, they charged towards Horatio and Jessica.

"You want to dance?" Jessica growled, punching a man across the face.

"Then we'll show you how," Horatio said in a low voice, jabbing his elbow into another's face. He smiled briefly at the satisfying crunch noise the man's face made.

It seemed men were rushing them from every side. One almost got the upper hand on Horatio, until Jessica promptly kicked him in the groin from behind, causing him to double over in pain. More charged at them and one managed to wrap his hands around Jessica's throat.

"Oh hell no!" Horatio snapped. He drew his gun and shot the man in the shoulder. "That's my little girl, you bastard!"

Soon every man was crawling across the ground, moaning in pain. Jessica and Horatio walked amongst the wounded until they found the one man they had been chasing. Horatio knelt down and grabbed the man by his hair.

"What the hell," Horatio said, panting from the effort of fighting, "Was that about? Officer Davidson pulled you over because you had a taillight out and you shot him. Then you ran and led us into the center of a gang war. Why the hell did you do that?"

The man stared up at Horatio with fear filled eyes. "I didn't want to go back to jail again," he quietly said.

Horatio pulled at his hair a little harder and the man cried out from the pain. "You're lucky Officer Davidson always wears a Kevlar vest," he growled, "Otherwise I would have put a bullet in your head."

As ambulances and other patrol units began pulling up to the scene, Horatio and Jessica walked back towards their Hummer. He gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close against his side. Frank shook his head and smirked at them as they walked towards him.

"I have to say," he began with a chuckle, "You'll never find a better crime fighting father-daughter team like Horatio and Jessica Caine."

Horatio smiled briefly at him and held Jessica a little closer.

"I did learn from the best," Jessica smiled, looking up at her father.

"That you did, honey," Horatio said with a smile. "That you did."

* * *

Jessica was immediately greeted by her dog, Lucy, as she walked into her condo. She followed the black dog into the living room and found her fiancé on the couch with their son. She smiled at the sight of Ryan lying on his back with Oliver lying on his stomach on Ryan's chest. Both were dead asleep.

Jessica smiled to herself as she carefully lifted her son off Ryan's chest. As she carried him to his bedroom, Oliver's eyes slowly opened and he smiled briefly as he looked up at his mother. His eyes fell shut again as he cuddled up to her chest, his hand pressed against her chest just above her left breast. Jessica carefully placed him in his crib and covered him with a blanket. She leaned down and kissed his forehead and gently stroked his cheek.

She walked back into the living room. She sat on top of Ryan's hips and leaned in to kiss him awake. Ryan smiled and laced his fingers into Jessica's hair, not even bothering to open his eyes. He kissed her and pulled her against his body.

"Hello beautiful," he sleepily mumbled.

"Good morning to you, too, handsome," Jessica chuckled. "Is this why you enjoy babysitting so much? Because you get to nap when our son naps?"

Ryan chuckled and ran his hands across her back. "No, I like being a dad because I love my son and I want to spend as much time as I'm allotted."

Jessica giggled and kissed his neck. "When you say it that way you make it sound like you never get to see him."

"No, it's really you I don't hardly ever see," Ryan muttered in a sleepy voice. He rolled over on the couch and began covering Jessica in soft, delicate kisses.

Jessica smiled and kissed him gently. Her hands wandered down his back and into the waistline of his jeans. She cupped his groin in both her hands and Ryan's body shuddered with delight.

"You need to wear gloves or something," Ryan chuckled as his hands wandered up Jessica's shirt. "Your hands are always so cold."

"Sorry," Jessica giggled, "It runs in the family."

* * *

Ryan sped down the street atop the blue Yamaha R1. He pushed down on the throttle and the bike shot off well over the speed limit. Jessica's arms rested around his waist and her head on his shoulder. Though they were both wearing full face shields, he could still feel her smile.

Ryan pushed the motorcycle to go faster and he skidded around a steep curve, almost too fast. He dodged in and out of traffic. Several drivers honked their horns and when he slowed to a stop at a traffic light a group of girls in a convertible stared at him with flirtatious eyes. Jessica lifted her face shield and glared at them. She stuck her hand right between Ryan's legs and grabbed his manhood in her hand, shooting them a warning look. Ryan chuckled and kicked the bike back into gear as he took off, already well over the speed limit.

They sped down the street and drove around the pier. Ryan swerved onto the wrong side of the street and passed a patrol car, waving at Frank as they left him in their dust. They shot around the corner and headed back in their original direction.

Ryan could see the maroon car in his side mirror and smiled to himself as he pushed down harder on the throttle. For a luxury car, it held its own keeping up with him. He cut through an alley and chuckled when he saw the car follow him, nearly fishtailing when it turned. He was going too fast, and he knew he would hear about it when he finally stopped.

Jessica held on tight around Ryan's waist and leaned farther into him. She smiled as the world zipped past them. Usually it was her that was always speeding and Ryan yelling at her to slow down. But this time Ryan was in control, and Jessica was loving every second of it.

They flew down the street, the maroon car still in sight. Ryan knew he had to shake it, but he didn't know how. He hit the throttle again and they zoomed through the beach district. He heard the roar of the engine of the car behind him over the rumble of his own engine. He swerved and just barely missed a delivery truck that seemed to appear out of nowhere. He did a quick u-turn and flew back towards the maroon car, relieved to see it safely stopped a block ahead of the delivery truck.

The car turned around as fast as it could and the chase resumed. Ryan smirked as he cut a quick left and his bike rushed through the mall parking lot. He thought he had lost the maroon car but it cut in front of him out of nowhere. Ryan had to hit his brakes quickly to avoid rear ending it. He swerved to the left and flipped the driver the bird as he took off speeding again.

Before he knew it his destination was in sight. Ryan leaned forward onto the handlebars and pushed the throttle to the limit. He then began slowing the bike down and eventually came to a stop inside the garage. He shut the door as Jessica unlocked and disarmed the house.

They ran through it and up the stairs to Horatio's bedroom. It took just a matter of seconds for their pants to disappear and Ryan to bury himself within her. They were together for a short amount of time before their bodies shuddered against each other's. Jessica gasped softly with her release and they panted for air as they redressed. They rushed back outside just in time to watch Horatio pull into his driveway in his maroon Audi A6. He cut the engine and climbed from the car, a perturbed expression on his face as he lifted Oliver's car seat from the back.

"Well I suppose you two have already defiled my bed," he said as he approached them.

Jessica and Ryan smirked and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.

"Maybe," Ryan mischievously grinned.

"Well let me remind you, Mr. Wolfe, that's my baby riding on the back of that screaming metal death trap," Horatio sternly said.

"And that's my baby riding in your backseat as you recklessly drive through the streets of Miami," Ryan playfully retorted. "And he's a lot more delicate than your daughter."

Horatio couldn't keep up the angry act any longer. He started laughing and smiled as he shook his head.

"You win this time, Mr. Wolfe," he chuckled. He held out Oliver's car seat and Ryan accepted it with a satisfied smile.

"So I take it you like your birthday present, now that you have the appropriate license to ride it," Jessica said, kissing his cheek as all three walked into Horatio's house.

"Hell yeah I do!" Ryan exclaimed, lifting his son from his car seat. "It's frickin sweet!"

Jessica chuckled and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. She kissed his back and leaned her cheek along his spine.

"Is it better than the one I gave you last year?" she whispered.

"Well that depends," Ryan said, accepting a bottle Horatio handed him, "Do you mean the actual present you gave me on my birthday or do you mean the result that came eight months later?"

Jessica smiled and held him close. "Either," she said.

"Well I liked the present you gave me on my birthday, but I love the result so much more," Ryan smiled as he began feeding his son.

"Good," Jessica whispered. "Too bad it's hard to one up that present."

"I think I like the motorcycle just fine," Ryan smirked. "You don't have to try and one up every present you give me."

"Well I don't think I like the present you gave him this year," Horatio sarcastically said. "He drives it too fast with you on it."

"Only because you were chasing me," Ryan retorted.

"You still stared it," Horatio argued still laughing. "You said you were going to beat me back to my house and fuck my daughter on my bed. I had to chase you down. You don't talk to your future father-in-law like that, young man."

Ryan chuckled and cradled his son in his arms. He smiled at Horatio and the older man returned it with a caring one of his own.

"We're so close," Ryan quietly said.

Jessica gently placed her left hand on Oliver's head, the light shining off her ruby engagement ring.

"Yet so far," she whispered.


	2. Ollie Can You Hear Me?

Ollie Can You Hear Me?

* * *

"Can you say Mama?" Jessica quietly asked her son.

Oliver looked at her with his big blue eyes and smiled at her.

"Come on, Ollie," she encouraged him, "Say Mama."

Oliver's mouth soundlessly opened and closed, mimicking Jessica's movements.

"Ollie, I know you can hear me," Jessica chuckled. "Why won't you talk? How about Dada? Can you say Dada?"

Oliver again mimicked her mouth movements and smiled at her. He picked up Lucy's ball that was sitting next to him. He threw it towards Lucy and laughed when it bounced off her head, waking the dog from her nap. Lucy quickly responded and retrieved the ball for Oliver, dropping it in his lap. Oliver squealed with delight and threw the ball again.

"Ok, you already know how to play fetch with the dog," Jessica muttered, "Why the hell can't you talk?"

* * *

Ryan carefully helped Tom lift the victim's heart from his chest. Each artery was clamped shut with a pair of forceps, and Tom had Ryan place it in a tank of water.

"So if bubbles emerge when I make the cut, then there's air in his heart," Tom explained.

"Which means the victim died because a bubble was introduced into his airtight circular system," Ryan continued. "Right?"

"That's exactly right, Ryan," Tom smiled as he lifted his scalpel. He made a cut into the muscle and nothing happened. "Ok, so that rules out death due to circular system interruption," Tom said, changing his gloves.

"So now what?" Ryan inquired.

"Now we keep looking," Tom said.

Ryan walked around the victim, looking at him from every angle. He leaned in close and stared at the side of the man's head.

"Hey Tom," he said, "Did you happen to notice this burn mark on the right side of his head?"

Tom looked over Ryan's shoulder and frowned. "No, he came in covered in so much mud I didn't even notice it until now." Tom gently ran his fingers over the man's head, palpitating his scalp. "There's something under here," he said, grabbing his scalpel.

"What could he have under his scalp?" Ryan asked, stepping out of Tom's way.

"I could think of one thing," Horatio said as he walked into the morgue.

Tom made a few cuts and reflected back the man's scalp. He sliced carefully and revealed a bit of metal.

"What in the world is that?" Ryan asked, staring at the circular piece of metal as Tom continued to peel back the man's scalp.

"It's the internal unit and magnetic plate for a cochlear implant," Horatio said.

"That's exactly what it is," Tom said, looking at Horatio a little confused. "How did you know?"

"I observed Brian Johnson's autopsy," Horatio quietly said, "Though everyone said it was probably not a good idea. I wanted to know he didn't suffer in his last few moments of life."

Ryan reached out and gently grasped Horatio's shoulder. "How long has it been?" he whispered.

"Fifteen years this past September," Horatio quietly said, "and a day doesn't go by I don't miss any of them. All three were like family to me."

Ryan gave Horatio a small smile and Horatio returned it with one of his own.

"Lunch on me today?" Ryan quietly asked.

Horatio smiled again and wrapped his arm around Ryan's shoulders as they began walking from the morgue.

"I think I like the sounds of that," he said.

"Good," Ryan quietly said. He glanced towards one of the autopsy tables and smiled to himself. "My son was born there," he said, pointing to the floor next to the table.

Horatio chuckled and as they continued on their way out the door. "We should have a plague made," he quietly said.

* * *

Jessica picked up Oliver's toys as she walked through the hall to the laundry room. She set the stuffed teddy bear and fire truck on top of the dryer as she loaded clothes into the washer. She grabbed the toys and put them back in Oliver's bedroom before she climbed the stairs back to her room. She smiled at the sight of her son sleeping on his stomach on her bed as she continued to clean her room. She chuckled to herself as she unclipped the handcuffs she had left attached to the headboard from her and Ryan's wild occasion from the night before.

She walked back into the hall and began climbing down the stairs when she heard the fire alarm go off in her condo. One of her neighbors must have set theirs off, thus activating all of the units on the thirteenth floor. She ran into the bedroom to retrieve Oliver, just in case it was a real fire and they needed to evacuate the building. She stopped dead in her tracks. There was Oliver, still sound asleep on the bed. Jessica stared at her son in disbelief. How was this possible?

* * *

"You ready?" Eric asked, positioning himself at the end of the lab table.

"Ready," Ryan responded, kneeling in place at the opposite end.

Eric held up with hands with his thumbs together and his index fingers extended upward. Ryan carefully held the tiny triangular piece of paper beneath his index finger and the table. He flicked it using his other hand and it soared through the air and right between Eric's fingers.

"Goooooal!" Eric cheered as he threw his arms in the air. Ryan laughed and high fived his best friend.

"Is this what I'm paying you two to do?" Horatio asked as he walked into the lab, throwing the paper football on the table.

"Um, no, of course not," Eric said, trying to keep a straight face. "We were running an experiment."

"Trying to test to see if Wolfe has any athletic abilities?" Walter asked as he entered the room.

"Shut your face, Wally!" Ryan playfully retorted. "I'll have you know I score every night!" He thrusted his hips in a forward motion, acting as if he was humping an imaginary person. Horatio cleared his throat and shot him a look. Ryan straightened up and his ears flushed. "Sorry boss," he quietly muttered as he quickly began placing pictures on the table.

"So what do we know?" Horatio asked.

"That Ryan's going to get his ass kicked by his soon to be father-in-law," Eric chuckled.

Ryan shot him an annoyed expression and his ears flushed again. "Shut up," he muttered, "That's mean."

* * *

"Alright," Dr. Brown said as he looked over Oliver's chart, "He's the right weight and length for a boy his age and he seems to be having fewer problems with colic. He's probably going to have some digestive problems for a while, being a preemie and all. Anything strike you as out of the ordinary lately?"

Jessica shifted uneasily in her chair, the sleeping Oliver in her arms.

"There's a different reason I came in," she quietly said. "The colic isn't really bothering him much anymore. There's something else. I don't think it's bothering him, but it's bothering me."

"Alright," Dr. Brown said, sitting on his stool, "Tell me about it."

Jessica slowly shook her head. "He doesn't talk, he rarely makes any noise, and he has the strangest laugh I've ever heard, even for a baby." She fell silent, almost afraid to say the word.

"You want a hearing test done," Dr. Brown quietly said to her.

Jessica nodded her head. "I think he might be hard of hearing," she nearly whispered.

* * *

Ryan stared in amazement at the car battery under the hood of the victim's car.

"So let me get this straight," he said, "You think he was trying to jump his car with a little automatic battery charger gizmo and a live charge shot from the battery to the implant in his head?"

"Yeah, I know, sounds crazy," Walter explained, "But it's the only thing I can think of."

Horatio leaned over the engine and peered into the depths of metal. He reached his hand down in-between the battery and the reservoir for the coolant and pulled out a black box shaped item.

"Actually I think I would like to alter your theory, Walter," he said, holding up the item. "I think he caught the external unit of his cochlear implant on something and it touched the live charge."

"That would explain the burns on the side of his head," Eric said. "A shock from a car battery would travel through the wires and straight to the metal plate in his head."

"Firing his brain and thus killing him," Ryan said. "That's so sad. What a terrible way to go."

"They never were guaranteed full proof," Horatio quietly said.

* * *

Jessica stared at the test results the hearing doctor handed her.

"There are options," he softly said. "There are methods to give your son a normal life. We can fix him."

"My son's not broken," Jessica angrily said, hastily standing from her chair. "He doesn't need to be fixed."

* * *

Ryan walked into his condo. Loud music washed over him and he quickly recognized Beethoven's 3rd Symphony "Eroica." It was Jessica's favorite of his nine. Ryan wandered into the living room to find Jessica sitting on the couch, staring towards the stereo, their son lying on his stomach on the floor in front of the speakers.

"Oh my god, Jessica!" Ryan exclaimed as he quickly strode over to his son. "You can't leave Oliver here! The music can damage his eardrums! I thought you would know that better than anyone, being a musician!" Ryan knelt to ground but stopped when he saw his son sleeping soundlessly on the blanket spread across the carpeting. He slowly turned and looked at Jessica.

"The vibrations seem to soothe his colic and help him fall asleep," Jessica quietly said. "He's been asleep for about an hour, since we came home from the doctor's."

Ryan looked at her and then back at his sleeping son. He gently touched Oliver's back. The baby made a quiet sound but continued to doze. "Oliver?" Ryan quietly whispered. He leaned in close to his son's head, right next to his ear and yelled. "Oliver!"

"He won't wake up," Jessica whispered. "The only way to wake him up is to move him."

Ryan stared at her in disbelief, unable to comprehend what she was saying.

"I didn't take him in just for the reoccurring colic," Jessica explained, "I had a hearing test done while we were there."

Realization started to wash over Ryan as grief filled his heart.

"You can yell all you want, but he'll never hear you," Jessica quietly said as tears formed in her eyes. "Our son is deaf, Ryan."


	3. A Silent Fight

**Just for clarification, Jessica's not devastated with Oliver being Deaf, she's just confused. Nothing wrong with being Deaf.**

* * *

A Silent Fight

* * *

"Just think about it, Jess," Ryan continued to argue over breakfast the next day, "We could give Oliver what he needs to accomplish everything he wants to do in life. We could give him the ability to hear."

"I'm not getting him implanted," Jessica retorted as she grabbed a carton of orange juice from the fridge. "I don't like the idea of implanting a baby. I don't think its right."

"But think of all the things he'll miss without the ability to hear," Ryan continued. "He could thrive in so many ways if we just had this simply surgery done."

Jessica turned on her heels and stared at him. "You think a cochlear implant is a simple surgery?" she asked. "Do you even know the procedure?"

"Well no, but I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult," Ryan snapped.

"You don't know a thing, Ryan," Jessica retorted. "You don't know what kind of surgery this is we're talking about."

"I know it's the surgery that could give our son the ability to hear," Ryan argued. "Just think about it, Jess, you could have the next great opera singer sitting in that highchair but you'll never know because he can't hear. Don't you want a child that will follow in your footsteps? Don't you want to raise the next Bach or Beethoven?"

"No, Ryan," Jessica said, staring him down, "I want to raise the next beautiful, talented, Deaf child who will accomplish great things, even without working ears. I want to raise our son as he is. I don't care what anyone says, there's nothing wrong with our son being deaf."

With that she turned and left the condo, leaving Ryan alone with his silent son.

* * *

"Deaf?" Horatio quietly muttered into his cell phone, "Oliver's deaf?"

"Yes, Dad," Jessica whispered. She stopped as she choked on her own tears. "Why does this upset me? I mean there's nothing wrong with having a Deaf child, but I feel like somehow this is my fault. I shouldn't have kept working in the field when I was pregnant. I ruined our son."

"Jessica there is no way you could have ruined your son," Horatio said. "Your biological father was Deaf; it's in your genetic make up."

"But it's still my fault," Jessica whispered.

"Jessica, do you love your son?" Horatio asked, "Have you provided him with the best care possible?"

"Yes Daddy, I love Oliver so much and I've tried to take good care of him," Jessica said as she brushed away more tears.

"Then you've done everything a parent should," Horatio told her. "So what, your son can't hear. Big deal. You know what he needs now to continue to have a good life. You can provide him with the care he needs."

"I'm not getting him implanted," Jessica angrily muttered.

"I didn't say you had to get him implanted," Horatio continued, "I'm saying you already know what it's like growing up with someone who's Deaf. You know what he's going to need to succeed in a hearing world. Jessica, I can't think of anyone who would be more qualified to raise a Deaf child."

"Ryan wants to get him implanted," Jessica quietly said. "He thinks Oliver needs to be able to hear in order to succeed."

"Well here's the funny thing about surgery when you're a kid," Horatio began, "The doctors can't operate unless both parents consent. It's even more important when the parents aren't married. As long as you don't sign that form Oliver can't be implanted."

"But Daddy, I don't want Ryan to hate me because I refuse to get our son implanted."

"Jessica, that's about the dumbest thing I've heard you say this week," Horatio said. "Ryan loves you no matter what. Let him do a little more research on cochlear implants and see what his opinion on them is after that. I think he'll come around to the idea of having a Deaf son."

"You really think so?" Jessica quietly asked.

"I know so," Horatio said with a smile, "because I'm the Dad, the Dad is always right."

* * *

Jessica signed in at the lab twenty minutes later. She didn't want to go home. She didn't want to be around Ryan.

She wandered down the hall, having nothing that actually needed to be done. She crossed her arms over her chest as a sudden chill ran through her body. She stepped into the empty break room and shut the door behind her.

"I know you're here, Jesse," she quietly to the empty room. "Just tell me what's going on."

Jesse Cardoza seemed to appear out of no where and he leaned against the wall as he looked at her.

"I just wanted to make sure you're ok," he quietly said. "I am your son's guardian, you know."

"You knew all along," Jessica whispered. "You knew Oliver was deaf and you never told me."

"I'm sorry, Jessica, but I can't reveal that kind of thing," he quietly explained. "If I had told you, then you would have treated Oliver differently. You weren't supposed to find out until now."

"You could have given me some kind of clue," Jessica scowled at him. "It would have been nice to have been hinted in to this big secret that's apparently old news in the ghost world."

"I don't make the rules, Jess," Jesse said, "I just follow them."

"Well next time why don't you think about someone else for once," Jessica snidely replied. She walked right through him and out the door, knowing how insulted he felt by her acknowledging how insubstantial he was in her world.

* * *

Horatio and Jessica rode in silence to the crime scene. He looked at her through his dark glasses, but was unable to see her eyes through her sunglasses.

"So you're Ryan today," he quietly said, finally breaking the silence.

"No, I'm not Ryan," Jessica said in an angry voice. "If I was Ryan I'd want the doctors to cut open my son's head and stick a hunk of metal inside it."

"You can't be angry at him because he doesn't understand, Bug," Horatio said.

"He saw that man's cochlear implant yesterday, didn't he?" Jessica snapped. "Did he not see how far Tom had to peel back the man's scalp in order to just look at it? And that man was dead, so it didn't matter where Tom cut. Oliver's alive; it matters where the doctors make their cuts."

"Jessica," Horatio continued, trying to calm her down, "Ryan just doesn't understand. Give him a chance to do his own research and he'll come around. He's not stupid. He'll see what has to be done and he'll back out, guaranteed."

"I don't know," Jessica grumbled, "He can be pretty stubborn, too."

"Just like someone else I know," Horatio chuckled.

* * *

Ryan stared at his son. Oliver smiled and clapped his hands, trying to encourage his father to play with him. Ryan laid on his stomach and continued to look at Oliver where he laid on the living room floor on his stomach. He touched his head and ran his fingers through his thick brown hair. He leaned over him and examined the side of Oliver's head. He smoothed back his hair and looked at his pale scalp, trying to run the process through his head from what he observed the day before. When he wasn't looking, Oliver grabbed his free hand and bit down on his fingers.

"Ouch, Ollie," Ryan snapped, pulling his hand away, "That hurt."

His son smiled and laughed at his misfortune, not understanding that what he did caused Ryan pain, which in turn caused a greater pain in Ryan's chest to form.

* * *

Jessica stood with Horatio and Eric in the interview room, talking to the widow of the victim from the day before.

"Brandon was always so careful," she whispered, tears in her eyes. "How could he let himself get electrocuted?"

"I don't think he tried to, Mrs. Jones," Eric said. "It was an accident. The wires from his cochlear implant got tangled with the car battery. It was dark and raining hard that night. He probably didn't even notice until it was too late."

She cried softly and held her young son in her arms. Jessica looked at the baby. He didn't seem much older than Oliver. He took his mother's hand and bit her fingers.

"Ouch, David, don't do that," she softly said, pulling her hand away.

Jessica smiled at her. "My son does the same thing to his father," she gently said. "Ryan gets his fingers just a little too close and Ollie sticks them right in his mouth."

The young widow smiled at Jessica and stroked her son's head. "Yeah, he usually does it to his father…" she said as her voice trailed off.

Jessica sat in the chair next to hers and held her hand. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Jones," she said. "I know how it feels to loose someone you love."

"Who did you loose?" the young woman whispered to her.

"Both my parents and my twin sister," Jessica softly explained. "And my daughter."

The young woman touched Jessica's arm and Jessica could feel her sorrow. "I'm sorry, you've had so much heartache in your life," she whispered. "I'm sorry, but I forgot your name already."

"Jessica," she said, "Dr. Jessica Caine."

The woman looked from Jessica to Horatio and then back again. "Your husband?" she quietly asked.

Jessica shook her head. "My father," she whispered, "Adopted father. After I lost my entire family Lieutenant Caine adopted me. He's the only family I have now. Him and my brother."

"What about your son?" Mrs. Jones asked.

Jessica smiled at her. She looked down at the small baby in her arms and gently touched his head. "Yeah, I've still got my little Ollie," she whispered. "And my Ryan," she added after a moment of silence.

* * *

Eric tackled Jessica in the hall later that day and she giggled as they pretended to fight.

"Did you forget about me already?" he chuckled. "Where's the love for Uncle Eric?"

Jessica laughed and wrapped her arms around him. "I could never forget you," she chuckled, hugging him tightly.

"So you forgot about your other aunt and cousin, too?" Eric continued to tease her.

Jessica giggled and smiled at him. "No, I didn't. I just didn't want to ruin the moment."

Eric smiled at her and kissed her cheek. "Alright, well I'll forgive you for forgetting me, but in return you have to buy me lunch."

Jessica smiled and giggled again. "Alright, fair enough," she said.

* * *

Jessica was tired from working all day as she drove home. She walked into her condo and was surprised by how quiet it was. She found her son sleeping in his crib and lifted him into her arms. He immediately began fussing and Jessica was quick to make him a bottle. She climbed the stairs to the second floor as she fed the little Oliver and sat on the bed in her room. She heard a noise and looked to her right.

Ryan stood in the doorway of his bedroom, looking at his fiancée. She was sitting on the bed, feeding a bottle to their son. He quietly walked over and sat next to her. He leaned his chin on her shoulder and watched Oliver drink as his eyes slowly drifted open and closed. He finally stopped drinking and gently pushed the bottle away. Jessica sat him up and placed her hand on his lower back with her other flat against his chest. Ryan stopped her and looked into her eyes, the same ones as their son's.

"Can I?" he quietly asked.

Jessica gave him a small smile and handed their son to Ryan. Ryan gently rapped Oliver on the back until he finally burped. He cradled his son in his arms and watched as the small child began to drift to sleep. Oliver nuzzled his face against Ryan's chest and placed his small hand over the left side of Ryan's chest.

"I think he does that because he can feel your heart beating," Jessica quietly said. "I always thought it was because he was trying to nurse, but I guess not."

Ryan ran his hand over his son's head, through his surprisingly thick hair. "They would have to cut his head open," he quietly said. "Which ever side the implant went in the doctors would have to reflect his scalp back to insert the implant. His ear would actually be detached for a short amount of time. One wrong move and that half of his face will be paralyzed for the rest of his life." Tears formed in Ryan's eyes as he continued to stroke his tiny son's head. "If it didn't work the doctors won't remove it. He'll have a hunk of metal in his head for the rest of his life, just taking up space."

Ryan looked at Jessica as the tears slowly crept down his cheeks. "I can't do it," he whispered, "I can't trust someone to open our son's head and stick something in that might not work or could cause a bigger problem. I can't let someone do that to my only child. I won't let someone do that."

Jessica leaned over and wrapped her arms around Ryan's shoulders and just held him.

"I don't want to go through with the surgery," Ryan whispered. "I don't want someone slicing open my son's scalp. It's too invasive."

"What if he wants one later on in life?" Jessica quietly asked.

"Then we cross that bridge when we get there," Ryan said. "If he wants one when he's sixteen or eighteen, then fine, we'll discuss it. But I can't do that now. I can't do that to a baby. I won't do that to _our_ baby."

Jessica gently kissed his neck and held him close. "I knew you would understand," she whispered.


	4. Peaches and Dogs

**Remember those adult themes I mentioned? Brief moment here.**

**To the reader with the pen name ajay1960- It wasn't just you and I understand where you're coming from. : ) I was more worried about myself coming off as sounding like Oliver being deaf was a tragedy. I completely understand your point of view as a mother. Happy reading. : )**

* * *

Peaches and Dogs

* * *

Horatio walked into his daughter's condo, greeted by the sound of his grandson's cries. He immediately walked into Oliver's bedroom and lifted the small baby into his arms. He changed his diaper and carried him into the kitchen. Horatio searched through the cupboards, trying to figure out what to feed Oliver. He climbed the stairs and tried to find his daughter to figure out what was going on.

"Jessica?" Horatio called out as he rapped on the bedroom door. "Jessie Bug?" He turned the knob and opened the door.

There were Ryan and Jessica, in bed together. Ryan was handcuffed to the headboard with a gag in his mouth, a cock ring wrapped tight around his large length, and a leather collar with metal spikes around his throat. There were red marks all across his torso and the beginning signs of bruises. Jessica sat atop his hips, wearing a skimpy corset and tiny thong with black heels. She held a riding crop above her head in a lace gloved hand. They froze and stared at Horatio, who seemed to be frozen in place himself.

"Dad!" Jessica screamed, "Shut the door!"

Horatio grabbed the doorknob and slammed the door shut. He stood in the hall, too shocked to move. He finally found his footing again and walked back to the kitchen.

He set Oliver in his highchair and grabbed the first jar of baby food he could find. He grabbed a spoon and quickly uncapped the jar of peach mush. He sat a chair in front of Oliver's highchair and tried to coax the wailing baby to eat. Nothing seemed to work and Horatio was becoming frustrated and worried about his grandson.

Oliver's cries eventually began to calm and he stared at his grandfather with his big blue eyes. Horatio held out the spoon filled with something orange that was supposed to taste like peaches but Oliver turned his head away. Horatio sighed and leaned back in the chair. Oliver stared at him and mimicked Horatio's stance.

Then Horatio got an idea. He leaned forward and watched as Oliver mirrored his every move. He held the spoon to Oliver's mouth but the small boy turned away again. Horatio then brought the spoon back to his own face and popped it into his mouth. He ate the peach mush and watched as his grandson processed what he just observed. Oliver opened his mouth and leaned forward again. Horatio easily spooned the orange goo into Oliver's mouth and the little boy ate it. He smiled at his grandson and Oliver returned it with one of his own.

It took some time and a few more bites of peach mush for Horatio to finally get Oliver to eat the entire jar.

"You were hungry, weren't you little guy?" Horatio asked him as he lifted Oliver from his chair.

Oliver looked up at him and opened and closed his mouth, no sound emitting from his vocal chords.

Horatio looked at the jar on the counter and pointed to it.

"_Peaches,"_ he signed.

Oliver watched him and almost perfectly imitated him.

"_Peaches."_

Horatio smiled and touched his grandson's cheek. Oliver mimicked him, stroking Horatio's cheek with his tiny hand. Horatio held his large hand over Oliver's small one and pressed it to his cheek.

"_Grandfather,"_ he signed to his grandson.

"_Grandfather,"_ Oliver repeated.

Horatio carried Oliver to the living room and Oliver squealed with delight at the sight of Lucy sleeping. Horatio knelt beside Lucy and touched her head.

"_Dog."_

Oliver patted Lucy's head and smiled.

"_Dog," _he repeated.

Horatio touched Oliver's chest and smiled.

"_Ollie,"_ he finger spelled.

Oliver smiled and made an O with his small hand. Horatio smiled at him and held his grandson close, feeling his heart warm with delight.

Jessica and Ryan came rushing down the stairs, their clothes wrinkled and hair still a skewed.

"Uh, hi Dad," Jessica awkwardly said, trying to tame her hair into a ponytail. "We didn't know you were coming over."

"Otherwise you wouldn't have had such extreme make up sex after your fight yesterday?" Horatio chuckled.

Both Jessica and Ryan's faces flushed.

"Um, we didn't hear Oliver," Jessica tried to continue on. "Was he crying?"

"Yes, and quite loud, too," Horatio explained.

"Yeah, the baby monitor receiver in our room, the batteries apparently died," Jessica quietly said. "I'm really sorry about that."

"It's ok, Bug," Horatio said, "These things happen sometimes."

Oliver patted Horatio's chest and Horatio looked down at his grandson.

"_Grandfather,"_ Oliver signed to him. Horatio smiled and nodded his head. Oliver turned and pointed to Ryan and repeated his sign. _"Grandfather."_

Horatio frowned and shook his head. _"No, father,"_ he signed.

Oliver looked back at Ryan and repeated the sign. _"Father."_ He looked at Jessica and signed again. _"Father."_

Horatio shook his head and frowned again. _"No, mother."_

Oliver smiled and looked at Jessica. _"Mother,"_ he eagerly signed. He looked at Lucy. _"Dog,"_ he signed. He touched Horatio's cheek again and signed _"Grandfather."_ He patted his own chest and held up an O.

Jessica and Ryan walked towards their son, stunned at what they just witnessed.

"Did Ollie just sign?" Jessica quietly whispered.

Horatio proudly smiled and nodded his head. "Yes, he did," he said.

"When did he learn that?" Jessica asked.

"Well I couldn't get him to eat at fist, but I figured out he was mimicking me." Horatio explained, "So I ate some of the food and he willing did so, too. Then I started signing to him and he started imitating that. I wasn't sure he understood, but just now when he was putting the signs with other objects…" Horatio's voice trailed off for a moment before he found it again. "I think he understands. I think he's putting the sign with the object. He even knew the letter O went with him."

Jessica gently touched her son's head and stroked his hair. Oliver smiled at her. _"Mother,"_ he signed. Tears welled in Jessica's eyes as she nodded her head. Oliver smiled and chuckled in his funny little voice. Jessica leaned in and kissed her son's forehead. She held up her hand, knowing her son probably wouldn't understand the sign, but she didn't care.

"_I love you,"_ she signed.

Oliver smiled at her and mimicked the sign. _"I love you."_

Jessica smiled at him and nodded her head. Oliver squealed with delight and reached out to her. She held him close and felt Oliver bury his face against her neck for a moment before he looked around the room. He smiled at Ryan and signed _"I love you,"_ to his father.

Ryan couldn't hold back the tears any longer. He returned the sign to his son. Oliver reached out and grasped Ryan's hand, feeling his fingers and the way the sign felt in his hand. He suddenly pulled Ryan's fingers into his mouth and bit his pinky.

"Ouch!" Ryan exclaimed, pulling his hand away. He looked at his son with an angry expression.

"_No bite,"_ he signed, _"Pain."_

Oliver's large blue eyes filled with sadness at the expression on Ryan's face. Small tears formed in his eyes. He looked at his mother and flapped his hands.

Jessica held Oliver's small hand, balled it into a fist and rubbed it across his chest in a clockwise circular motion. _"Sorry,"_ Jessica signed while mouthing the word.

Oliver looked at Ryan with a sheepish face. _"Sorry father,"_ he signed.

Ryan and Horatio stared at Oliver in shock.

"He just said a complete sentence," Ryan said, his voice cracking ever so slightly. "He put the two signs together."

* * *

"_Mother, father, aunt, dog, grandfather,"_ Oliver signed, pointing to different objects and people in the room.

Yelina smiled and clapped her hands when Oliver correctly labeled her.

"Oh he's so smart!" she happily exclaimed, "What else can he say?"

Jessica knelt down to where Oliver was sitting on Horatio's couch.

"_You want drink?"_ she signed.

"_Yes, milk, please,"_ Oliver responded.

Yelina gasped in surprise as Oliver continued to sign to everyone.

"How did he do that?" she asked. "I don't even know what he said."

"He's picking up quickly," Horatio explained as he walked into the room. He handed a bottle of milk to Oliver who smiled up at him.

"_Thank you, grandfather,"_ Oliver signed.

Horatio smiled at him and kissed his forehead. _"You're welcome,"_ he responded.

"He understands that certain signs belong with certain objects," Horatio explained. "I'm not entirely sure he knows what he's saying, but I think he gets the general idea."

Yelina knelt before the small child and smiled at him. "Such a bright young boy," she quietly said, stroking his hair.

Oliver smiled at her and reached his hand out for hers.

"He seems to understand when someone's saying something nice about him based off facial expressions," Jessica commented

"My goodness," Yelina quietly said, "He's so intelligent."

"Yeah, kind of like his grandfather," Jessica said, smiling at her father.

Horatio smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "A lot like his mother, too," he whispered.


	5. Whirlwind

**Sweet mother of tater-tots, this is a long chapter!**

* * *

Whirlwind

* * *

Jessica worked on the postcard design on her computer in her studio. She stopped momentarily to watch her son roll around on the floor atop his blanket. She finished her work, quickly attached it to an email, and sent it to Ryan. Moments later she heard a familiar chirp from down the hall.

"Stupid head," she muttered as she lifted her son into her arms and walked towards her bedroom.

Sure enough, lying on the nightstand, still plugged into the wall, was Ryan's phone. Jessica shook her head as she picked it up and began checking his messages. There were a few messages from Frank and Horatio about a four-nineteen Ryan was called out to and a couple others from various labs.

Jessica stopped when she checked Ryan's recent calls and found his old bookie's name. She dialed the number for his voicemail and held the phone to her ear.

"_I'm done playing games, Wolfe. I want my money. You know you still have a debt with me, and I want my money. You have three days to get me the cash or I'm taking something of yours!"_

Jessica sat there silently on the bed. She knew who Rob was and what he was capable of. She held her son closer to her body, trying to not panic. She looked at Ryan's phone and hit the call button.

"You better have good news for me, Wolfe!" the male voice on the other end snapped.

Jessica felt her hand shake as she stared out the window. "I do," she quietly said, "but I need you to work with me."

"Who is this?" the man snapped.

"My name's Jessica, I'm Ryan's fiancée," she quietly explained. "I can get you your money, but I need you to tell me how much Ryan owes you."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Rob continued to question her.

"I have Ryan's phone, and I can answer any question you give me about him."

"Alright, where was his bank account?"

"Dade County Credit Union," Jessica said, "Account number 7453682."

The man was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "Alright then, bring me the money this afternoon. I'll send you a text with the amount and address in one hour. If he's not here by four then you feel the pain."

The line clicked and Jessica lowered the phone, staring at the screen. She carried her son downstairs and began packing a suitcase for him. She grabbed her purse and keys and headed out the door.

* * *

"Jess, slow down," Greg said, "I can't understand you."

Jessica took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. "I'm taking Oliver to Uncle Ron's. If you get a call in a few hours I need you to meet him at the airport in Vegas when he tells you his flight will be in. He'll have a fake passport for you and Oliver, two plane tickets vouchers, and some cash. I need you to take that money and go where ever the ticket vouchers can be used. I need you to get out of the country and take my son with you."

Greg Sanders was silent as he listened to Jessica's panicked voice. "Jessica, what's going on?"

"Ryan's in some deep shit, Greg," Jessica said. "He owes money to a bookie tied to the Russian mob, and they're not a nice group around here. I've seen what they've done to their victims, and, worse, their families. I'm not taking a risk of anything happening to my son."

"Jessica, I can't just uproot my life and run away because you're expecting the worse," Greg quietly said.

"Are you Oliver's Godfather?" Jessica asked in an angry tone.

"Yes, but-"

"Then please, Greg, do this for my son," Jessica said as she parked her car outside the bank. "I can't loose another child, Greg. And Oliver's almost a year old. This isn't like a miscarriage or abortion. He's a person."

Greg was silent for several minutes. Jessica thought he had hung up until his voice finally sounded again.

"Alright, I'll do this for Oliver. Just let me know as soon as possible when I need to be there."

Jessica wiped the tears from her face as she tried to control her breathing. "Thank you, Greg," she whispered.

"Anything for you, Jelly," he quietly responded.

Jessica ended the call and sat in her car, trying to be as patient as possible. Finally Ryan's phone chimed, alerting her of an incoming text. She tapped the screen and read the message print in black. Her heart seemed to skip a beat when she read the amount as fear began to take over her body.

* * *

Jessica carried the locked bag with her into the MDPD crime lab. She stormed through the halls; searching every lab for the one man she dreaded seeing.

The bag made a loud crashing noise as it hit the table. Ryan seemed to jump a foot when he heard it. He stared at Jessica with a shocked expression, unable to place the emotion on her face.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jessica quietly asked, her voice angry.

"Tell you what?" Ryan whispered.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a debt with Rob?"

Ryan stared at her as the color drained from his face. "I didn't think it was important," he quietly said.

"Not important?" Jessica hissed. "Ryan, this is the Russian mob we're talking about, not some bubblegum bet! These men are dangerous! Don't you know what they can do to us? Don't you know what they can do to Oliver?"

Ryan's body began to visibly shake as he listened to her angry words. "Oh god," he whispered, "Oliver…"

"Is safe with Uncle Ron," Jessica said, finishing his sentence. "Along with two plane tickets to Vegas, two fake passports and ID cards, two more ticket vouchers, and seven thousand dollars cash. Not to mention, Greg Sanders is currently waiting in Vegas for a call from Uncle Ron in the event that Ron goes to Vegas with Oliver, ready to hop a plane and leave the country at a moment's notice." Jessica stared him down with her hard blue eyes. "We have a lot at stake right now, Ryan, and a lot of people who are willing to risk their lives because you owe some Russian mobster $17,000."

Ryan felt like his heart was going to burst through his chest. "I don't know what to say," he whispered.

"Then why don't you start with sorry!" Jessica snapped, slamming her hand onto the lab table. "Do you have any idea how much danger we're in? These guys mean hardcore business!"

"I know, Jess," Ryan said, massaging his temples as a headache threatened to arise.

"I don't think you do, Ryan!" Jessica hissed at him. "You owe $17,000 to a Russian mobster! How can you possibly owe him that much?!"

"These guys charge a crazy amount for interest!" Ryan snapped, "I probably only owe him half that much, but he's just increased it over the years!"

"Well lucky for you, I have the money," Jessica said, pushing the bag towards him.

Ryan looked at her in disbelief and then at the bag. "Where did you get $17,000 in such a short amount of time?"

"Why didn't you pay it off two years ago when we won all that money at the casino in the Keys?" Jessica retorted. "That was more than enough."

"I had other expenses to pay off," Ryan muttered.

"Let me guess, hospital bills, utilities, back rent, car payments, and other gambling debts," Jessica stated, the anger still evident in her voice.

"Yeah," Ryan quietly said, "You're right. I should have paid Rob off first, though. I just wanted to get out from as many debts as I could as quick as possible."

Jessica stared at him for several minutes. "Have you always had money issues?" she quietly asked him.

Ryan slowly nodded his head. "I get too impulsive at times," he whispered. "I don't budget well."

"Well," Jessica said, grabbing the bag off the table, "That's something you're going to have to learn before we get married. Now follow me."

Ryan walked with her down the hall to Horatio's office. He seemed surprised to see his daughter on her day off.

"Horatio," Jessica said, "I need to take Ryan and go run an errand for a few hours."

Horatio looked at her confused. "What do you mean, Jessie?" he asked.

"I mean he can't be on the clock," Jessica said.

Horatio stood and walked over to her. He gently held her face as he searched through her eyes.

"What's going on?" he quietly asked.

"I can't tell you," Jessica whispered. "The less you know the better off you are."

Horatio stared at her, unsure of what to think. "Take your glock and a Kevlar vest for each of you," he finally whispered. "Just promise me you'll explain when you get back."

"I will, Dad," Jessica whispered.

* * *

"You go in with the money," Jessica said as they pulled up behind the abandoned warehouse.

"Where will you be?" Ryan asked, climbing from the car.

"I'll be somewhere behind you," she quietly explained. "Just whatever you do, don't give up your backup weapon."

Ryan nodded his head. She started to walk away but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He leaned in and gently kissed her.

"I love you, Jessie," he whispered. "Whatever happens, I'm sorry."

Jessica looked deep into his eyes and gently kissed him back.

"I love you, too, Ryan," she whispered. "I'll be pissed as hell at you no matter what, but I'll still love you."

She turned and ran away from him, ducking in through an open window. Ryan sighed and began his walk around to the east side of the building. He peered through an open door before he slipped inside. He began his journey through the twisting maze of halls until he found his destination.

Rob stood in the center of the room, staring at him. His hard eyes looked angry as Ryan walked towards him.

"Wolfe," he said, "Good of you to finally pay your debt."

"I'm sorry, Rob," Ryan quietly said, "Other things kept coming up."

"Like moving into one of the most expensive Condominiums in town, having a baby, and getting engaged?" Rob inquired. "Yeah, I'd say you've been very busy."

"I didn't plan on all of this, Rob," Ryan said. "It just sort of happened."

"Yeah, like I haven't heard that line before," Rob sneered. "You got my money?"

"Yeah, right here," Ryan said, holding up the bag.

"Give it to me," Rob demanded. Ryan stared to walk towards him but Rob held up his hand to stop him. "Leave the gun right there," he said, gesturing towards Ryan's waist.

Ryan sighed and pulled his glock from the back of his waistline. He placed it on the ground and looked at Rob again.

"That all of them?" Rob asked.

"Yes," Ryan said.

"I don't believe you."

"You want to search me?"

Rob looked at him. Ryan could feel how he was sizing him up.

"Do you want your money or not?" Ryan finally asked him.

"Bring it to me," Rob said.

Ryan walked forward and handed the bag to Rob. He immediately opened it and began flipping through the stacks of cash.

"This all of it?" Rob asked, his eyes burning into Ryan's skull.

"Yes, all $17,000," Ryan quietly said.

"Where did it come from?" Rob continued.

"Miami Dade Trust," Ryan said, "and no, there's no GPS device, no tricks, no traps. Just cash, just like you wanted."

Rob stared hard at him as he zipped the bag back up. He walked away and for a moment Ryan caught site of Jessica in his peripheral vision. He resisted the urge to turn and look at her, not wanting to put her in anymore danger than she already was.

"What's your boy's name?" Rob asked, turning to face Ryan. "And don't lie to me, because I'll find out if you are."

"Oliver," Ryan reluctantly answered.

"Oliver what?" Rob inquired.

"Oliver David Wolfe," Ryan informed him.

"David, just like his father," Rob sneered. He opened the bag and began looking through the cash again. "I'll let you off easy this time, Wolfe, but next time, you better say your good-bye to little Oliver."

"Ryan, run!" Jessica's voice called out to him.

Ryan turned and watched as she grabbed a rope hanging from a rafter and swung to the floor next to him. She grabbed his hand and began pulling him along, scooping up his glock in the process.

"What the hell?!" Rob yelled after them, drawing his gun. He shot at them as they ran from the room and down the hall. His shots echoed off the metal walls as they broke through the door and out into the sunlight. They clamored into Jessica's car as she sped off away from the building.

"What the hell was that about?!" Ryan finally managed to ask Jessica.

She never answered. A loud booming noise sounded from behind them as Ryan watched part of the old warehouse explode.

"You loaded the bag with a bomb?!" he yelled, turning to look at her.

"No, he had a bomb in that room," Jessica gasped. "I found it up on the balcony where I was hiding. C4, small but powerful; it would have blown us sky high."

Ryan stared at her in shock. "He was going to kill us," he whispered.

"No, Ryan," Jessica quietly said, "He was going to kill you."

"But why did it go off while we were still there?" he asked.

Jessica was silent for a moment before she spoke again. "Because I made it," she whispered.

* * *

Hundred dollar bills were scattered everywhere in the blown off corner product room of the old warehouse. Horatio slowly began his walk around the charred scene, trying to find the center of the blast. He followed a burn trail and stared up towards the scorched balcony.

"Right there," he said, pointing to the spot. "That's where the bomb went off."

"Damn, must have been something fierce to cause this much damage," Eric commented as he began taking pictures from where he stood.

"Going by the burn pattern and the force of energy exerted I'm going to take a wild guess and say C4 or dynamite," Horatio observed.

Eric chuckled as he continued his path around the room. "You know your bombs, alright," he said as he stopped to take a picture of a bag on the ground next to the body. He knelt down and carefully lifted it. "This looks like one of those bags the bank gives out when you make a large withdrawal."

Horatio knelt beside him and looked it over. "It does appear to be made from the same material."

"Well hopefully we can get a better look at it back at the lab," Eric said, placing the burned bag into a brown paper evidence bag. "It also appears to be the source of the cash. There's still some in it." He stopped and chuckled as he pulled out a white slip of paper. "Leave it to the bad guys to forget to take their receipt."

"Is there a name on it?" Horatio inquired, walking towards him from where he had walked to look at a bullet hole in the wall.

"I think so," Eric said. "Looks like the bag and cash protected it." His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he stared at the paper.

"What is it, Eric?" Horatio asked, kneeling down next to him. Horatio felt his pulse quicken as he read the name "Jessica ES Caine" at the top of the Miami Dade Trust bank receipt.

* * *

Jessica drove down the street alone in her car. It was four in the morning. Ryan was still asleep when she left. He didn't know where she was going, and she was going to leave it that way.

* * *

Ryan stood in the layout room nervously. Horatio stared him down as he slid the bank receipt inside an evidence baggie across the table to him.

"What's going on, Ryan?" Horatio quietly asked in the same low voice he used on suspects.

"I owed Rob some money," Ryan quietly responded.

"$17,000 is a little more than some, Ryan," Eric said, an angry expression also on his face.

"I didn't originally owe him that much," Ryan said. "He charged me a stupid amount of interest because it took me so long to pay him back."

"When was the original debt established?" Eric asked him.

"Four years ago," Ryan whispered, "It was one of the last bets I made with him before I quit gambling. I didn't have the money, since I was suspended from the lab at that time, but Rob made me a deal. He would hold my debt and let me pay at my own pace, but he would charge me interest. I didn't know the interest was going to be almost three thousand dollars a year, otherwise I would have just paid if off all those years ago."

"Why didn't you ask for help?" Horatio asked him.

Ryan looked at him surprised. "I didn't want anyone to know I was so broke," he quietly said. "I was ashamed of what I had done."

"Ryan, I would have helped you," Horatio said to him. "I wouldn't have cared the amount. You're my CSI and I care about you. You should have asked for help. I wouldn't have charged you as much interest as Rob."

Ryan was silent as he stared at the light table, unable to meet Horatio's gaze. "I thought you didn't have any respect left for me."

"You're right, I really didn't," Horatio said, "but in the case of a Russian mobster I would have helped, no matter who it was in trouble."

Ryan's eyes shot upwards and he stared at Horatio. "Russian mobster?"

"Did you not know Rob was part of the Russian Mafia?" Horatio asked him.

Ryan shook his head slowly. "That explains why he tried to blow me up," he whispered.

"Which brings me to my next question," Horatio said, "Where are my daughter and grandson?"

Ryan's entire body seemed to shake as he chewed his bottom lip. "I don't know," he whispered.

Horatio's gaze hardened as he stared at Ryan. "You don't know?" he quietly repeated, stating every word slowly and deliberately.

Ryan's phone rang, causing him to jump from shock. He looked to see Nick Stokes's number flashing across the screen.

"Put it on speaker," Horatio ordered, still staring him down.

Ryan hit the speaker phone button and set the phone on the light table.

"This is Wolfe," he quietly said.

"Ryan," Nick's angry voice broke through the air, "Where the hell is he?"

"Where's who?" Ryan quietly responded.

"Where the hell is Greg?!" Nick snapped.

Ryan stood there speechless, unable to form words on his thick tongue.

"Give me that!" a woman's voice snapped. "Ryan Wolfe, this is Catherine Willows from the Las Vegas Crime Lab and we need to talk!"

"Catherine," Horatio intercepted, "What's going on?"

"Well for starters we have a Ronald Wolfe here from Miami." Catherine explained, "He just arrived less than five hours ago at the Las Vegas Airport. That also happens to be around the last time anyone saw Greg Sanders. Mr. Wolfe doesn't have any suitcases nor does he have a carry on. The only thing he does have is a Kindle and two boarding passes for his flight; one adult, one infant. According to his boarding pass he should have one suitcase, a carry on, and an infant airplane seat. He doesn't have any of these things with him, not even an infant. Can you please explain why _your_ Uncle is in Las Vegas with nothing but the clothes on his back, his Kindle, and a thousand dollars cash? Did I mention he doesn't have an infant with him?"

Ryan sat there silently, feeling like he was going to vomit.

"I don't know," he whispered, "I really don't know what's going on."

"Horatio," Calleigh said as she breathlessly rushed into the room, "We have a problem!"

"What is it now?" Horatio asked, rubbing his temples as the beginning of a headache began to settle over him.

"Someone's altered my ballistics' records," Calleigh explained. "I'm missing two assault rifles from my stock."

"Which two?" Horatio asked, dreading her answer.

"The AR-15 and a sniper," Calleigh answered.

Horatio stared at her in disbelief. "Jessica knows how to shoot an AR-15," he quietly said, "but as far as I know she's never touched a sniper in her life…" His voice trailed off as realization washed over him. "Oh god no," he muttered as he pulled out his phone and dialed the number.

"Yeah, Gibbs," the male voice on the other end answered.

"Agent Gibbs," Horatio said into the receiver, "I need to ask you a very important question."

"Alright, Caine, shoot," Gibbs responded.

"Did you happen to teach my daughter how to shoot a sniper rifle while she was in DC last year?"

"Yeah, she had to run some ballistics on it but didn't know how to operate one." Gibbs explained, "So I gave her a quick demonstration on how to shoot."

Horatio was silent as he stared out the window in horror.

"Did I do something wrong, Lieutenant Caine?" Gibbs asked on the other end of the phone.

"No," Horatio quietly said, "but I think my daughter might be about to."

* * *

She laid flat on her stomach and braced her elbows inward, just as he had shown her. She stared through the eyepiece, watching the people far below her. They had no idea what she was about to do.

She watched them through the large picture window in the older man's house. She could see the picture of her, her fiancé, and son sitting on the table. She knew what they were going to do to them. She had to stop them.

The three younger men left, leaving the older man, his wife, and their youngest son sitting at the table. Jessica's grip tightened on the gun as she took aim and fired.

* * *

Horatio slammed the Hummer into park and rushed into the large house. Three dead bodies were slumped on the floor, a bullet hole in each of their heads. His stomach churned as he tried to maintain his composure.

Tom gently rotated the head of the woman and shook his head.

"Single GSW to the right temple," he observed. "Small entry hole, massive point of exit, no soot or gunpowder stippling. A quick, clean kill. She probably didn't feel a thing."

"Can you tell what kind of gun was used?" Horatio practically whispered as he looked at the thirty year old man lying almost under the table, a hole the size of a grapefruit in the back of his head.

"I can't be certain until I retrieve the rounds, but going by the lack of visible contact burns and the spidering of the glass in the picture window, I'd say something that can shoot far and quick."

"Like a sniper," Horatio whispered, staring out the window. He looked at the tall building not too far from the house as his head continued to pound.

"Yes, just like a sniper," Tom quietly responded.

* * *

She held the man by his hair as she crammed his sawed off shotgun into his mouth. Tears streamed down his face as a wet spot formed on the front of his pants.

"Tell me who's supposed to take out Wolfe," Jessica ordered.

"Harrington!" the man screamed around the muzzle.

"Harrington? That doesn't sound very Russian to me," she sneered. "Where's he going to be?"

"At the warehouse, between Fifth and Terrain!" the man screamed.

"You mean in the Glades?"

"Yes!"

She smirked at him as her grip on the gun loosened. His body seemed to relax a little as she began to lower the shotgun.

* * *

Horatio stared down at the dead man, his scalp blown off the back of his head and a sawed off shotgun in his mouth.

"This isn't looking good for her, Horatio," Tom quietly said.

"I know," Horatio responded, "and I don't think she cares."

His phone rang and he dug it out to find Ryan calling him.

"What's up, Ryan?" Horatio said as he placed the phone to his ear.

"H, I just got a call from some guy who wants me to meet him in the Glades," Ryan's nervous voice sounded through the speaker. "I think he wants to kill me."

Horatio sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Alright, I'll be back at the lab as soon as I can and we'll figure this out, ok?"

"Please hurry, H," Ryan whispered, "I'm scared."

* * *

She sat in her car, watching them. She knew why they were there, and she wasn't afraid of them.

She climbed from her car and walked towards them, sliding her gun into the waistline in back of her jeans. She walked towards them. She wasn't afraid to die for the man she loved.

"Hey scumbags!" she yelled at them.

They turned and looked at her as she drew her weapon.

"I hear you're looking for my son," she yelled. "You won't find him anywhere in this country. Truth be told, I don't even know where he is."

"Who are you?" one of the men asked her. "Are you Wolfe's girl?"

"As a matter of fact I am," Jessica sneered. "I'm also about to become your worst nightmare."

She raised her gun and opened fire.

* * *

Horatio's tires skidded across the dirt and gravel road of the Glades as he sped to where he knew she would be. He had gone alone, a mistake he knew he could regret. He looked in his mirror to see another Hummer and a patrol car turn onto the dirt road far behind him. He knew Eric would follow him no matter what he did, no matter what he said. He knew it was because Eric was his brother, and they always took care of each other.

Horatio slammed on the brakes and threw the Hummer into park. He ran to where he could see Jessica shooting at a group of men. There had to be at least fifteen of them. They dodged her shots with surprising accuracy, but eventually each of them was hit. All but one.

He ran towards Jessica as she dropped her empty gun and drew her knife. His knife was long as he drew back and swung at her.

"Jessie!" Horatio yelled, running to her, but it was too late.

The man grabbed Jessica by the shoulder and plunged his knife into her abdomen. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as the pain became evident on her face. He drew back and stabbed again and again, each time dragging his knife through her muscles. She dropped to her knees and grasped at her mangled torso as blood poured from her body.

Horatio ran towards them. He drew his gun and shot the man square between the eyes before he even realized Horatio was there. His dead body fell to the ground just mere feet from where his daughter knelt on her knees, hunched over and grasping at her flesh to keep the blood in.

He dropped to his knees next to her and laid her out on her back. He practically tore his button down shirt off and pressed it against the massive wound in her abdomen.

"Just hang in there, Jessie!" he yelled as the other Hummer finally pulled up.

"Daddy," she gasped, blood pouring from her mouth, "I'm sorry."

"No, you did nothing wrong, Bug," Horatio said, pushing down harder on her wounds. "Everything's going to be just fine, Jessie Bug," he said as he stroked her hair.

Eric lifted his phone to his ear as he approached Horatio and Jessica. She was bleeding heavily from her abdomen as Horatio pressed his shirt to her wound. She coughed and her blood sprayed across the black t-shirt Horatio was still wearing.

"Just hang in there, Bug!" Horatio said. "Don't give up on me now!"


	6. Promises Made

**You know how I said that last chapter was long? This one's just a little longer. The last chapter was originally two chapters and this one might have been as many as three. But I decided to make them into two longer chapters instead.**

* * *

Promises Made

* * *

Alexx rushed out into the waiting room. She found Horatio pacing, still wearing his blood spattered t-shirt.

"He demolished her liver," Alexx quickly said. "He tore that knife through her ever which way. Her abdomen muscles are torn in several places, but her liver took the brunt of the damage."

Horatio's eyes filled with fear and grief. "Can you fix her?" he whispered.

Alexx slowly shook her head. "There's too much damage done," she quietly said.

Horatio nodded his head. "Where's the paperwork?"

"Are you sure you want to do this, Horatio?" Alexx asked, leading him back to an examination room anyways.

"Yes, I know the procedure, I know how it all works," Horatio said as he began to shed his clothing and change into a hospital gown. "I don't care the pain. I don't care I won't be able to do certain things or partake in certain drinks. I don't care how much I'm going to hurt. I just need my daughter to live."

Alexx nodded her head as she began filling out the donor paperwork for Horatio.

Another surgeon walked in and looked at Alexx.

"Dr. Woods, are you just going to leave that girl in there?" he asked.

"No, she needs a new liver," Alexx said as she continued to scribble on the form.

"But we don't have any available. You need to just sew her up and call it good for the night."

"No!" Alexx suddenly screamed, "I will _not_ call it good enough! This girl is like a daughter to me and I'm not going to leave her hooked up to a machine until she gets a new liver or dies! Not when I have a readily available donor right here!"

The surgeon looked at Horatio and then back at Alexx. "Dr. Woods, you know the protocol. You know he can't be a donor unless he's gone through the six month waiting period."

"I know the Caine family very well," Alexx said, her eyes burning into the other man's. "I can guarantee that Horatio hasn't drank a drop of alcohol in at least the last four months, and I'm willing to call that good enough. I'm not letting that little girl leave her father and family."

"Dr. Woods, you don't understand the risks-" the surgeon began to argue but Alexx cut him off.

"She has a son!" she snapped, "And that little boy _needs_ his mother." She grabbed Horatio's arm and led him from the room.

"This isn't going to be easy," Alexx said to him, "but if you're willing to go through it, then I'm willing to do it."

"Yes, Alexx," Horatio whispered, "I'm not letting my little girl die when I'm standing here, able to give her life."

* * *

Alexx pulled back the muscle and skin and stared into Horatio's body, something she thought she'd never have to do in her life. She worked her fingers around intestines and easily located his liver.

"Someone secure him," she instructed a few nurses. A wide metal clamp was placed on either side of Horatio's abdomen, holding his muscles back and his body open.

Alexx stopped and looked at his lifeless face, covered by an oxygen mask. She gently touched his warm cheek and smiled.

"You're doing a great thing for her," she whispered. "Not every parent would do this for his little girl. You're an amazing father, Horatio Caine."

Alexx steadied her hand as she located the seam in Horatio's liver, the vein that made a perfect place to split his liver in two. She gently dabbed away blood. She carefully pressed her scalpel against the large organ, but she stopped when a tremor ran through his body. Alexx pulled back her hands and watched as Horatio's body began to shake.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"His blood pressure's rising," a nurse said, jotting down a note on a clipboard. "Something's not right. His heart's beating too fast. His temperature's rising quickly."

Alexx touched the back of her hand to Horatio's neck. His skin felt like it was on fire. "What's in his IV drip?"

"Morphine and penicillin," the same nurse replied.

"Penicillin?!" Alexx exclaimed, "He's allergic to penicillin! He's going into anaphylactic shock! Someone start a saline flush!" Alexx reached over and shut the valve on the IV line in Horatio's hand before she tore the line off and threw it to the floor. She pressed her hands to Horatio's shoulders as his body began to shake violently. "Hurry up with that saline! This man is going to die at this rate!"

Various nurses and doctors began hooking up different IVs and began injecting Horatio in hopes of ending the anaphylactic shock. Several grasped the clamps holding open his abdomen, trying to keep them from permanently damaging his organs.

"Dr. Woods," the other surgeon asked, "What about the liver transplant?"

"Jessie Bug can wait a little longer for us to save her father!" Alexx exclaimed as she pressed harder on Horatio's shoulders. His body was shaking so hard the entire operating table was rattling.

"Dr. Woods, I don't think he's going to make it!"

"Albert, you shut the hell up and help me keep him alive!" Alexx yelled. "This man's daughter needs his liver and she needs her father!"

* * *

He was walking along the beach. It was a sunny day and the world seemed so quiet. He could see her and she smiled as he approached her.

"Hello Jessabelle," he said, embracing her in his arms, "I've missed you, love."

She pulled away from him.

"Jessabelle," he whispered. He knew she could see the hurt in his eyes.

She slowly shook her head. "You aren't keeping your promise, Horatio," she quietly said.

"My promise?" he whispered.

"Your promise to keep our daughter safe!" she said, tears forming in her eyes. "She's down there dying because you're giving up! She'll be dead in a matter of minutes if you don't go back! She needs you now more than ever!"

"Jessabelle," Horatio whispered again.

"No, Horatio," she snapped, "Go back!"

"Don't you love me anymore?" he asked, the pain evident in his voice.

"I do, Horatio," she said, "but that's why I want you to go back. I don't want you to die. I want you to live; for you and me. Our daughter needs you right now. You have to go back."

Tears formed in his eyes as pain filled his body. "Please Jessabelle, just let me stay with you a little longer. It's been so long."

"I know, Horatio," she whispered, stepping towards him. "I promise, we'll see each other again someday, but that day can't be today. You need to go back. Your place is with our little Jessie Bug right now. She needs you more than I need you."

Horatio gently embraced her and held her tightly. She didn't pull back this time though. She leaned in and kissed him tenderly.

"Go back," she whispered in his ear, "Go back and take care of our little star."

"Which way?" he whispered.

"That way," she said, pointing to the water.

"But that way's dangerous," he whispered. "There are sharks and the rip current and undertow-"

"You'll be fine," she whispered, holding his hand. "Just keep swimming."

She pulled her hand away and Horatio looked into his palm. There was a silver ring; an Irish Claddagh.

"I know you know where it is," she quietly said. "Give it to her, because our daughter's the most important thing in our lives."

Horatio nodded his head as he curled his fingers around the ring. "I will," he whispered.

"Go now," she whispered, kissing him again. "You'll still make it if you go now."

"I love you, Jessabelle," he whispered, kissing her one last time.

"I love you, too, Horatio," she quietly said. "Now go, before it's too late."

He turned and ran towards the water. He wanted to look back, but he couldn't bring himself to look back at the ghost of his past anymore.

He swam through the icy water. Every muscle in his body began to hurt. He touched his abdomen and realized he was bleeding. He could see the sharks and knew they could smell the blood. He tried to swim faster but he could hardly move his arms. He felt something brush against his legs and knew it was going to kill him. The pain increased as his body began to sink. He reached up and groped at the surface, hoping to pull himself up. He forgot he was holding the ring and it slipped from his hand. He tried to catch it but it disappeared into the darkness of the ocean. He sank faster and breathed in gulps of water. Just when he thought all hope was lost, he opened his eyes and a bright light filled his vision.

* * *

Horatio screamed and stared around the room. His vision seemed blurry and he couldn't move. His skin felt like it was on fire and he thrashed his head from side to side. He stopped when he saw the operating table holding his daughter. He screamed at the sight of her body cut open, her blood covering the table beneath her. He knew she was dead.

Alexx grabbed Horatio's face and forced him to look at her.

"Oh my god, he's conscious! Someone get me a sedative!"

Horatio fought against her, the pain ripping through his body. He lifted his head and tried to free himself. He fought against the many hands that touched his naked body. He couldn't remember where he was or what he was doing. All he knew was he was in pain. He stopped when he saw his own abdomen cut wide open.

Alexx grabbed his arm and tried to inject the sedative into his IV line. Horatio pulled away from her, tearing out his IV lines in the process. She tried injecting it into his arm, but he pulled away again. She grabbed his chin and attempted to stick him in the large vein in his neck that was pulsating rapidly. The blue line rolled under his skin and she quickly had to give up.

Finally Alexx tore his oxygen mask from his face. Horatio screamed and tried to pull away as two doctors held his head in place.

"You, hold his tongue up," Alexx ordered a nurse. She grabbed Horatio's tongue and pulled it upwards. "Sorry H," Alexx loudly said. She squirted a few CCs of the sedative under his tongue, the clear liquid quickly soaked into the soft tissue. Horatio writhed and gagged as the foul tasting substance hit his tongue. Then slowly the fight began to leave his body and his eyes began to droop. Alexx quickly injected the rest of the shot into his neck as he slowly drifted back to sleep.

She wiped sweat from her brow and stood there gasping for air.

"Alright, well if that's over I do believe we have a portion of liver to extract," she calmly said. "Let's get him hooked back up, everyone change their gloves, and let's save a few lives here."

* * *

Horatio awoke in a hospital bed. It was late at night, he knew that much. He laid there as the memories the past few hours played through his mind. He had seen the inside of his body, his dead daughter across the room from him, the woman he still loved.

Tears formed in his eyes as pain filled his heart. He turned his head away from the window, not wanting to see his reflection in the glass. Then he saw her. Her bed was only five feet from his.

He tried to sit up but pain rippled through his torso. He laid back down and touched his tender abdomen. He could feel the stitches against his bloated skin through his hospital gown. He took a deep breath and grabbed the railings on either side of his bed. He nearly screamed as he pulled himself up. He growled against the pain, forcing himself to sit up. He sat there, panting for air as sweat formed on his body.

He pushed down the right side of the railing on his bed and swung his legs over. He whimpered in pain as he tried to stand. He grabbed his IV and heart monitor that were hooked to his body and pulled them as he limped his way to the other bed. He nearly collapsed when he reached her bed and sunk onto the edge. He pulled back the blankets and crawled under them with her. He laid on his back next to her, surprised she was already far enough over to make room for both of them. He panted for air as the pain continued to throb in his abdomen. He turned his head and kissed the side of her head.

"I love you, Jessie Bug," he whispered in her ear. "I love you so much. You're my little girl. We're going to get through this, together."

He carefully held her hand under the blanket. He looked up at his IV line. He turned the morphine drip up a few notches and quickly felt his body grow heavy. He tilted his head so it was touching hers and squeezed her hand.

"Tell me tomorrow," he whispered. "Tell me why you did it."

Horatio laid there with the silent Jessica, the only sound the matching beep of their heart monitors. He kissed her cheek again as he drifted closer back to sleep. He smiled when he felt her squeeze his hand back.

* * *

"Lieutenant Caine!" the nurse exclaimed as she walked in the next morning. "What are you doing out of bed?!"

"Sleeping," Horatio grumbled as she tore back the blankets.

"What the hell," Jessica mumbled, "It's cold!"

Horatio slowly opened his eyes and turned towards his daughter. Jessica's blue eyes were hazy but were still bright with life.

"Get out of that bed this instance!" the stout nurse continued to yell. "You need to be in your own bed!"

Horatio groaned and tried to sit up. He cried out in pain and clutched his abdomen.

"It hurts," he gasped as he laid back down, "Can't I just stay here?"

"No!" the nurse continued to shrill, "Only one patient per bed!"

"It's not like we're having sex," Horatio argued as he tried to sit up again. "I just wanted to be with my daughter."

"What the hell is going on in here?" Alexx demanded as she walked into. She stared at Horatio as he struggled to sit up. "How the hell did you get over there, H?"

"I walked," Horatio grumbled. The angry nurse rolled his bed closer to him and helped transfer him from bed to bed.

"Young man, you are not supposed to be walking right now," Alexx sternly said. She turned to the nurse and smiled. "I'll take it from here, Linda."

The nurse scoffed and left the room, still buzzing with anger.

"Can we not get her again?" Jessica asked, shifting in her bed. "She was rather rude."

"Well if someone had stayed in his bed she wouldn't have been quite as rude," Alexx said, shooting Horatio a stern look as she covered his body with a blanket.

"I wanted to be with my daughter," Horatio argued again.

"Well too damn bad, ginger," Alexx retorted, "because your ass is staying in this bed for the next forty-eight hours at the least."

Horatio groaned as Alexx raised his bed so he was sitting up. She pulled down his blanket and lifted his hospital gown. Her gloved hand began running over his stitches and palpating his abdomen.

"Well even with your little incident on the OR table and your night time stroll it seems you're doing just fine, H," she said with a soft smile. "I do detect some swelling in your abdomen, but nothing a little ice won't fix." She pulled his gown back down and covered him with the blanket. "However, you, baby girl, may not have faired as well," she said as she walked over to Jessica's bed.

"Wait, what happened yesterday?" Jessica asked as Alexx began examining her.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Alexx asked.

"I remember the man stabbing me," Jessica quietly said. Her body shuddered as she recalled the memory. "It hurt so badly and there was so much blood. I thought I was going to die."

"Well you would have if you had gotten here a minute later," Alexx said, covering her back up.

"What did he do?" Jessica quietly asked. "And why is Horatio in the hospital, too?"

"That man tore through your abdomen," Alexx explained. "He cut in every direction and destroyed your liver."

Jessica looked at her with her large blue eyes before she slowly turned her head towards her father.

"Daddy…" she whispered as tears formed in her eyes.

"Horatio gave you a portion of his liver," Alexx continued. "The liver can re-grow itself if it's perforated. You have the smaller portion of Horatio's now in you."

"Daddy," Jessica said again as tears began to pour down her face.

"Please Alexx," Horatio said in a pained voice.

Alexx pushed Jessica's bed over towards Horatio's. She helped Jessica sit up as Horatio carefully embraced her in his arms.  
"I don't deserve it, Daddy," Jessica whispered as she continued to sob.

"Yes you do," Horatio quietly said, his voice thick with tears. "You're my little girl and you deserve whatever you need."

"But Daddy, I…"

"No Jessie," Horatio whispered in her ear, "Don't say anything right now. Just relax and try to heal faster."

"I did something bad, Daddy," she whispered.

Horatio was silent as he held his daughter. "We'll talk later," he whispered. "Let's not think about that right now."

Alexx helped Jessica lay back down. She carefully placed several ice packs on her abdomen before she gave one to Horatio.

"Everything's going to be just fine," she softly said to him. "You're both alive and well."

Horatio smiled at her and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Alexx," he whispered.

Ryan appeared in the doorway and stopped and stared at them.

"Jessica," he quietly said as tears began streaming down his face. He rushed to her bed and immediately leaned down and kissed her. He kissed her again and again, as his tears grew heavier and his sobs louder. He held her face and just kissed her, trying to pour his love into her body. He stopped and gently leaned his body against hers. He kissed her one last time before he stood and walked to Horatio.

Ryan sat on the edge of his bed and stared at the older man. He was pale and his face seemed puffy. He held an ice pack to his abdomen and winched in pain a few times. Ryan gently touched his shoulder before he wrapped his arms around his boss. More tears poured down his face as Horatio held him protectively in his arms.

"She's alive, Ryan," Horatio whispered.

"And so are you," Ryan quietly responded. "And I'm thankful for both."

* * *

Horatio's body shook slightly as Eric helped him pulled a pair of boxer briefs on.

"Thank you, Eric," he gasped. "I know this was kind of awkward, but I appreciate it."

"No problem, H," Eric said with a smile. "We're brothers so it's cool."

A quiet gasp from the other side of the curtain that shielded Jessica's bed caused Horatio to roll his eyes.

"I ask Ryan to bring undergarments for us and this is what he does," he grumbled.

"I didn't think Jessica would be able to have sex right now," Eric quietly said.

"Oh Ryan's not using his penis, that's for sure," Horatio muttered.

Another gasp and a stifled moan floated through the air, causing Eric to shudder.

"Hey lover boy," Eric called out, "Quit screwing around and let me see my little niece!"

"He can't talk right now," Jessica's voice sounded.

"Why not?" Eric asked, quickly regretting the decision.

"Because it's impolite to talk with your mouth full," Jessica responded. Jessica moaned softly again and they heard the sound of rustling bedding.

Alexx walked in and shook her head at the sight of the closed curtain. She pulled back part of the white sheet and stuck her head in.

"Ryan Wolfe, get your head out from between her legs this instance!"

There was a clattering noise and Ryan tumbled out from behind the curtain backwards. He stumbled to his feet as his face burned crimson in color. He brushed off the back of his pants as he watched Alexx open the curtain. Jessica adjusted her gown and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well there goes my fun for the afternoon," she grumbled. "Might as well help me get my panties on now, Ryan."

Ryan silently stepped towards her and grabbed a pair of panties that were sitting on the corner of her bed. He carefully slid them up her long legs and adjusted her gown before he covered her with the blanket.

"What the hell made you think that was a good idea, Jessie Bug?" Alexx asked as she began jotting down vitals on her chart.

"I was horny," Jessica grumbled. "These drugs are doing weird things to me."

"Not too weird, though, right?" Alexx inquired as she took Jessica's temperature.

"No, just one minute I'm fine and the next I'm aching for Ryan," she quietly explained.

"Well no more of that until you're all healed up," Alexx said as she moved onto Horatio.

"Then give me something else," Jessica grumbled, "because I can't take being in pain one minute and then needing to bone Ryan three minutes later."

Alexx chuckled as she began recording Horatio's stats. "Oh Bug, you never cease to amaze me."

She gently pressed the thermometer to Horatio's forehead and slowly dragged it across his skin to his temple.

"Oh dear, Daddy H," she said, reading the screen, "You have a bit of a fever. How do you feel?"

"Like shit," Horatio muttered. "I'm cold and achy and my stomach hurts like crazy."

"Is it your stomach or the place where your liver used to be?" Alexx asked as she began palpitating his abdomen.

"I don't know," he quietly said. "It's like my entire abdomen hurts."

"Well we did just extract a piece of your liver yesterday, and you went into anaphylactic shock while on the table. There's a potential for some deep contusions on your abdomen due to the clamps holding you open, but nothing too serious. Just tell me if you experience any other symptoms. We don't want you getting sick while your liver's re-growing."

"Can I get some water?" Horatio asked. "I'm really thirsty."

"Of course, H," Alexx said, soothingly stroking his hair, "Anything for you."

"Thank you, Alexx," Horatio quietly said as his eyes began to droop.

Alexx chuckled lightly and adjusted his morphine drip a little. "Just try to stay awake while I go get it," she said with a smile. "I don't want you getting dehydrated."

Alexx left the room, but felt dread fill her veins as she crossed paths with Frank. She knew what was about to happen.

Frank sighed as he walked in and found Jessica and Horatio each lying in a hospital bed.

"There really are no limits when it comes to your daughter, huh, H?" he asked, shaking his head.

"None at all," Horatio muttered as Eric covered him with another blanket.

"Are you ok?" Frank inquired, stepping closer to Horatio. "You don't look so good."

"I had surgery yesterday," Horatio said, pulling the blankets closer to his body.

Frank nodded his head. He looked at Jessica briefly before he turned his attention back to Horatio.

"Horatio, I need to talk to you," he said. "I came here to talk about Jessie Bug." Frank sighed and shook his head. "Internal Affairs is ready to perform a full investigation into the suspicious murders of eighteen different people yesterday. They have reason to believe Jessica was responsible and there's already talk of her loosing her badge."

Horatio fought to keep his eyes open, the morphine making it hard to think. "She didn't murder anyone," he quietly said.

"Didn't murder anyone?" Frank repeated in an angry tone. "Horatio, did you not hear me when I said there's eighteen people dead?"

"It was self defense," Horatio muttered as sleep continued to try and engulf him. Alexx walked into the room and helped him drink his water. His entire body seemed to shake with effort.

"Sleep, Horatio," Alexx soothingly whispered. "Your body needs the rest."

"Horatio, there's no way this was self defense," Frank continued. "These people weren't threatening Jessica in any way. Most of them didn't even know she was there. No one threatened her, no one attacked her, and no one gave her orders to carry out these homicides."

"I did," Horatio whispered almost inaudibly.

Frank stared at him in disbelief. "You told her to kill all those people?"

"Not directly," Horatio muttered. "I told her to keep her, Ryan, and Oliver safe no matter what the cost."

"So you're going to take the blame for Jessica murdering all those people?" Frank asked him.

"No, I'm telling you it was self defense," Horatio angrily grumbled as he fought to keep his eyes open. "My daughter didn't murder anyone. She never would. She was just trying to keep her fiancé and son safe, and if that meant taking out a few Russian mobsters then so be it."

Frank sighed and shook his head. "Well Internal Affairs is really going to have a hay day with this one," he grumbled, pulling out a notepad. "By the way, a Catherine Willows from Las Vegas PD keeps calling and asking for you. She wants to know where her CSI…" Frank stopped to read over his notes. "Sandler? Whatever, she wants to know where he is."

"Sanders," Jessica muttered, "His name is Greg Sanders and we still don't know where he and Oliver are."

Frank looked at her and shook his head again. "That's just not right," he muttered, stuffing the notepad into his pocket. "I feel like you should always know where your son is."

"It's better if I don't," Jessica mumbled.

"Is it better if I don't?" Ryan asked her.

Jessica looked at him with her hurt filled deep blue eyes.

"Why couldn't I have known?" Ryan continued. "He's my son, too."

Jessica held his hand and looked deep into his eyes. "We'll know soon enough," she whispered.

"How do you know?" Ryan grumbled.

"Because, if we had died, Greg would have to come back to the US so he can legally adopt Oliver eventually. He can't do it abroad. He has to come home eventually. He'll run out of cash at the very least."

Ryan touched her cheek and looked at her with a hurt expression. "I'm still pissed," he whispered.

* * *

It felt like his skin was burning but his insides were freezing. Horatio cried out in pain as the lights flickered on in his hospital room. Nurses rushed around him and he was briefly aware of the fact his daughter was yelling.

"What's going on with my father?" Jessica yelled, trying to make someone listen. She could see Horatio's body was covered in sweat, his hospital gown soaked through. He writhed in pain on top of the bed, the blankets thrown to the floor.

Something metal touched his forehead and Horatio tried to bat it away, but it seemed all the strength in his arm had left him.

"103.4 degrees," a nurse said, "How did his temperature get so high?"

Horatio gasped for air. His throat felt like sandpaper. He tried to form words. Tried to tell his daughter he was going to be fine, that the nurses were just over reacting.

They rolled him down the hall into another room. His hospital gown was peeled off his tacky skin and cool cloths tossed onto him. He whimpered in pain as many hands began touching him. He tried to fight them off, but he was too weak.

"Someone call Dr. Woods," a voice said, "She's going to want to know what's happening."

* * *

Jessica sighed in relief as Alexx explained the situation to her.

"Just the flu," she quietly repeated.

Alexx gave her a hopeful smile. "Yes, he's going to be absolutely fine." She explained, "He's just weak and his immune system compromised because of the surgery. He was probably sick before the surgery, but because the two of you didn't have the normal waiting period we didn't catch it. So don't be surprised if you start feeling sick, too."

"When is he coming back?" Jessica asked, her eyes darting to the other side of the room.

"He's still contagious right now," Alexx explained. "We need to keep him in a room of his own until he's recovered. We can't afford you getting sick from him, too."

"But I have the virus in me," Jessica said, "Shouldn't I be fine, since I'm probably going to get sick, too?"

"You might not get sick," Alexx said. "Your body most likely created an antibody from the tissue and blood transplanted into you, like a flu shot, but bigger and stronger. But your immune system has still been majorly compromised, more so than Horatio's. Your chances of getting sick are greater than his, and we can't afford to have you to catch the flu right now."

"Can I at least go visit him?" Jessica asked, her eyes large with concern.

"I'm sorry, Jessie, but I can't let you do that. You need to stay away from him right now. In three days he should be better or at least not contagious anymore. We'll bring him back then, and the two of you can spend all the time you want together."

Jessica sighed and leaned back into her bed. "Fine," she muttered.

* * *

Ryan held Jessica's hand as they silently sat together in the hospital room.

"You're still mad at me," she whispered.

Ryan nodded his head. "I understand why you did it, but yet I don't understand why you actually did it. Why would you kill all those people?"

"Because what they would have done to us and our son would have been twenty times worse," Jessica whispered.

"I know, but couldn't you have just left it alone?"

"No Ryan, I couldn't have. I wanted to protect you and Oliver." She held his hand in her own, the light dancing off the rings she wore on each hand. "You made a promise to me and me to you. We're in this together and we'll always be there to protect the other. Those Russian mobsters are capable of a lot, you know from first hand experience, and you weren't even their main interest that time. I couldn't let anything happen to you or Oliver."

Ryan was silent as he stared at her rings. "You still shouldn't have done it," he whispered.

"Why? So they could kill us and Oliver first?" Jessica sneered.

They were silent for several minutes. Jessica pulled her hands back and rested them in her lap. She stared at her rings and fiddled with them, trying to pull them off.

"What are you doing?" Ryan whispered.

"I don't know," Jessica quietly said. "I just thought I'd take them off for a bit."

"I still want to marry you," Ryan said to her.

Jessica looked up at him. "Do you really?"

"Yes," he quietly said. "Even if I'm mad at you for what you did, I still love you. In fact, just the actuality that you killed off an entire Russian mafia family just to protect me has somehow made me fall even more in love with you. I mean, you didn't just shoot a gunman who was going to shoot me. You killed an _entire_ family, eighteen people, just for me. In some twisted and crazy way it just shows me how much you care about me and love me."

Ryan looked at her for a moment and then carefully crawled into the bed with her and kissed her passionately. Jessica fumbled with the fly of his jeans and pulled her panties to the side. His jeans and boxers easily slid down below his butt and his hard erection curled upwards.

"Just be careful," she whispered. "I'm still healing."

"I would never hurt you," Ryan whispered into her ear as he slipped inside her.

They made slow and tender love in the hospital bed. Their lips locked and their tears mixed together as they cried in sorrow and passion.

* * *

Alexx smiled cheerfully at Jessica as she walked into the room with another male doctor.

"Today's your lucky day, Jessie Bug," she happily said.

Jessica recognized the doctor and covered her eyes as she groaned.

"No, not _that_ annual exam!"

"Might as well while you're here," Alexx chuckled as she attached stirrups to the end of Jessica's bed. "You're due for an exam in three weeks. Kill two birds with one stone."

"Damn it," Jessica grumbled as Alexx helped remove her panties and prop her legs up in the stirrups.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, Daddy H got his annual exam, too," Alexx chuckled.

"Well at least no one's fingers are going up my butt," Jessica grumbled.

Ryan walked back into the room with his soda from the vending machine. He stopped and stared as the male doctor began prepping Jessica.

"Well that's new," he said as he sat back in his chair next to Jessica's bed.

"Yup," Jessica reluctantly said, "PAP smear day."

"At least there aren't any fingers up your ass for this exam," Ryan chuckled as he took a drink. "I always hate that exam."

"Oh Jesus!" Jessica exclaimed, "Can't you warm up the ducklips first?"

Alexx chuckled and stroked her hair. "Sorry baby, we didn't have a plastic septum clean."

Jessica groaned as she leaned back and tried to relax as she was poked and prodded in her most private area. The male doctor pulled out his scrapping and stared at the end.

"Dr. Woods, we're going to have to douche and try this again," he said, slipping the plastic scrap into a tube. "This sample's probably not going to work because it's been compromised."

"Compromised?" Alexx repeated, "How?"

"There's semen all over her cervix."

Alexx turned and glared at Jessica and Ryan angrily. "I thought I told you two no sex," she hissed.

Jessica and Ryan's faces each flushed in embarrassment.

"If we say we made love rather than have sex will you be less pissed?" Jessica quietly asked.

"No, I won't," Alexx grumbled. She took the plastic blub from the doctor and filled it at the sink with water. "And I'm not warming that up for you," she hissed at Jessica. "You can deal with it being cold."

Jessica groaned as the doctor slid the plastic tube inside her. "I guess I deserve that one," she mumbled.

* * *

Jessica smiled as Horatio was rolled back into her hospital room. She turned and looked at him with her large blue eyes.

"I missed you, Daddy," she whispered.

He smiled at her and reached his hand out. "I missed you, too, Jessie Bug," he said as she took his hand.

"You still cancer free, too?" she asked.

Horatio chuckled and squeezed her hand. "Alexx told you I had a prostate exam, didn't she?"

"Yeah, but I bet she didn't yell at you for having sex before your exam."

Horatio laughed and smiled at her. "You would," he quietly said.

"In my defense, I didn't know it was going to happen until she brought in the doctor twenty minutes later," Jessica said with a laugh.

Ryan walked in and sat in the chair next to Jessica's bed. He kissed her cheek and nuzzled his face against her neck.

"Oh well, it was worth getting in trouble for," he quietly said.

"So says the man not having a stick and cold water shoved up his vag," Jessica grumbled.

Greg Sanders suddenly burst through the door. His face was flushed and he looked winded. He held Oliver protectively in his arms and the baby smiled at the sight of his parents. Greg dropped the diaper bag he had been carrying on his shoulder to the floor and just stared at Jessica and Ryan.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to travel across New Zealand with a Deaf ten month old?" he suddenly asked.

Jessica, Ryan, and Horatio couldn't help but laugh.

"You know, I can't say I do from experience," Jessica chuckled.

"Well let me tell you," Greg said, walking into the room, "It sucks. He already signs better than me. I had to google half of what he was saying just to try and figure out what he wanted. Then he would cry and wail if I got it wrong. And he keeps biting my fingers! I don't know how to make him stop either!"

All three laughed at the young man's misfortune. Greg walked to Jessica's bed and handed Oliver to Ryan.

"You can keep him," Greg said. "And the next time you need him to go into hiding call Eric. He can be the Godfather that week."


	7. Voids

Voids

* * *

Jessica winched in pain slightly as Alexx adjusting the Velcro on the soft back brace around her abdomen.

"You're going to have to wear this for a few weeks," Alexx explained, "but don't tighten it anymore than this. You don't want to pinch your muscles while they heal. Try to stay off your feet as much as possible the next few days and don't do any strenuous activity. Which includes sex." She shot Jessica a warning look.

"Oh believe me, we're not going to attempt that again for a while," Jessica said, gasping in pain as she tried to pull a hoodie over her head.

"Good, because I'll have your head if you do," Alexx threatened.

"Hey now," Horatio said as he pulled on a t-shirt, "Don't go and threaten my daughter like that. I can't donate my head to keep her alive."

Jessica chuckled but winched in pain at the sudden movement. "Thanks Dad," she quietly said.

Hands on her hips and soft kisses on the back of her neck made Jessica smile. She placed her hands on top of the other person's, not needing to turn around to know who it was.

"Hello beautiful," Ryan's words tickled her ear, "Ready to go home?"

Jessica turned and kissed him lightly. "Yes, but where's my baby now?"

"Ollie's at home with Greg," Ryan explained, intertwining their fingers as they held hands. He smiled at Horatio and wrapped his free arm around his shoulders. "Come on, Dad, time to go home."

Horatio smiled but gently pulled away. "I still need to put on my shoes," he said. He tried to reach down to pick them up but winched in pain. He tried again but the pain was just as bad. Finally he sat on his bed and held up his feet. "Put my shoes on me, boy," he ordered Ryan.

Ryan chuckled and knelt in front of Horatio. "So demanding," he said with a laugh.

"At least I didn't ask you to help me put on my underwear, like Eric," Horatio chuckled.

"Yeah, that might have been a little more awkward," Ryan replied.

* * *

Oliver squealed with delight and clapped his hands in Greg's arms as Jessica, Ryan, and Horatio walked into their condo. Jessica smiled and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

"Sorry, Ollie, I can't pick you up right now," she quietly said, though she knew her son wouldn't hear. "You're over my weight limit."

Oliver smiled and reached out for her with his small hands. Jessica held his tiny hand in her own and smiled when Oliver signed _"I love you, Mommy!"_

Horatio and Jessica carefully sat on the couch and Oliver was placed on Jessica's lap. He sat facing her and smiled, his big blue eyes bright with happiness.

"_Did you go on a plane?"_ Jessica asked him.

Oliver smiled and clapped his hands. _"Yes, fast plane!"_

"_What did you see?"_

"_Birds!"_ Oliver eagerly signed. _"Lots of birds! Water, blue water! Tall trees!"_

Horatio smiled and carefully leaned his head against Jessica's. "He's so smart," he whispered. "He must be some kind of genius, like his mother."

Jessica smiled and kissed the side of his head. "Thanks, Daddy," she whispered.

Oliver tugged at Jessica's sleeve, bringing her attention back to her small son. He pointed towards the kitchen.

"_Man with Daddy,"_ Oliver signed, _"Who?"_

Jessica smiled and gently touched her son's cheek. _"Uncle Greg,"_ she told him.

"_Uncle G?"_

Jessica happily nodded her head and smiled when Oliver squealed with delight.

"_I bite Uncle G!"_ Oliver signed with a mischievous smirk, his tiny teeth already starting to show.

"_You shouldn't, that hurts,"_ Jessica told him.

Oliver's face suddenly became extremely sad and he looked towards the kitchen with a worried expression. He flapped his hands and whimpered.

"Greg!" Jessica called over the back of the couch. "Greg, get your white ass out here!"

Greg chuckled as he walked into the living room, drying his hands on a towel. "Well excuse me, if that's how you're going to act then maybe I won't make you lunch."

"Oliver wants to tell you something," Jessica said, patting the seat on the couch next to her.

"He does?" Greg questionably said as he sat down.

"Yes," Jessica smiled. She turned her attention back towards Oliver. _"Go ahead,"_ she signed.

"_I'm sorry I hurt you, Uncle G,"_ Oliver signed. _"I didn't know biting hurt."_

Greg looked at Oliver's sorrow filled eyes and then back to Jessica. "What did he say?"

"He said he's sorry he hurt you, Uncle Greg." Jessica explained, "Somehow he didn't understand biting hurts, though we've been over this when he used to bite Ryan."

Greg smiled at her and then at Oliver. He leaned down and kissed Oliver's forehead and stroked his brown hair. "It's ok, Ollie," he quietly said.

Oliver smiled and reached out for Greg. Greg carefully held the small child in his arms as Oliver hugged his arms tightly around his neck. Oliver released his hold and held up his small hand.

"_I love you, Uncle G!"_ he signed.

Greg smiled and held up his hand. _"I love you, Ollie."_

"Hey, you didn't tell me you knew how to sign," Jessica chuckled.

Greg laughed and shook his head. "That's about the extent of my abilities. I made sure I at least knew how to say his name and reassure him I wasn't trying to hurt him. I still don't know if he understood why we were in New Zealand or where he even was. He seemed to enjoy everything though. Especially the water; he loves swimming."

"You took my son swimming for the first time before I could?" Jessica chuckled.

"Oh I'm sorry, Jelly," Greg quietly said. "I didn't know he's never been swimming."

"That's ok, I bet he loved it."

"Just like his mother," Horatio quietly mumbled.

Jessica looked at him and watched his eyes drift open and closed. "You tired, Dad?" she quietly asked.

"Just a little," Horatio mumbled again, his eyes slowly shutting.

"Come on, Lieutenant," Greg said, standing from the couch, "Let's get you somewhere a little more comfortable."

Horatio tried to argue, but was too tired as Greg pulled him to his feet. They disappeared into Oliver's room, where an extra bed still resided. Greg emerged just moments later, quietly shutting the door behind him.

"He was out cold as soon as his head hit the pillow," Greg chuckled

Jessica smiled up at him. "Thanks Greg," she whispered, "For everything you've done. You risked a lot by helping us."

Greg smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "You're welcome, Jelly," he whispered. "I'd do anything for you and your little boy."

Oliver squealed and reached his hands out when Lucy trotted into the room. Greg carefully set him on the ground and he and Jessica chuckled as Oliver took off in a quick crawl after Lucy.

"He loves that dog," Jessica smiled.

* * *

Horatio's body curled around Jessica's as he protectively held his daughter in his arms. She shivered and Horatio pulled another blanket over their bodies. She nuzzled her face against his neck and softly kissed where his pulse beat in a rhythmic pattern.

"Just like when you were a kid," Horatio whispered. "You always thought you were sneaky and I wouldn't notice if you kissed my neck."

Jessica smiled against the crook of his neck and nuzzled her body even further against his. "Except this time we're cuddling in my bed, not yours," she whispered.

Horatio chuckled and ran his hands down her back. He followed the curve of her spine down to the small of her back and then trailed his hands across to her abdomen. He gently touched her stitches and felt the rough, jagged skin beneath his palms. He knew it would scar and her perfect abs she took so much pride in would be ruined.

Jessica's hands gently encased his and she felt the wreckage of her skin. She carefully ran her hands under his shirt and felt the incision sight from his surgery. It felt like railroad tracks and Jessica imagined the scar from his surgery being so much less then her own.

Horatio wrapped his arms around Jessica's slender body and held her gently in his arms.

"This is Ryan's side of the bed, isn't it?" he quietly asked.

"Yeah, how can you tell?" Jessica whispered.

"Because it smells like him," Horatio said. "Am I sleeping in your sex juice?"

Jessica giggled and curled further against his body, guiding his hands away from her abdomen.

"Maybe," she whispered in a wry voice.

"Damn it," Horatio chuckled, "I would have thought the basket case would change the sheets after every time."

"No, only once a week," Jessica chuckled.

"Which is more than when you lived alone," Horatio teased her.

"Just remember, old man, you used to make me sleep in your sex juice with whatever woman you were bringing home that week," Jessica taunted back.

"When you say it that way you make it sound like I went through women like your fiancé goes through hand sanitizer," Horatio chuckled, kissing the top of her head.

"I know you were lost after she died," Jessica whispered. "I may have been a child, but I knew what was going on with you."

Horatio was silent. He held his daughter gently in his arms and buried his face into her hair.

"After I finished my Masters I felt like there was nothing in my life," he whispered. "I had you, but you were only there when Brian didn't want you. I tried to find someone to fill the void, but it never worked. I still loved her."

"Marisol filled the void," Jessica whispered.

"No," Horatio quietly said, "Marisol didn't fill the void. Marisol was a new place in my heart. She was the first woman that made me forget I still loved your mother. Then when she died a new hole developed in my heart. I didn't know if I was going to make it for awhile, but I kept going, because that's what they would have wanted me to do."

Jessica kissed his jaw line and gently caressed his cheek. "What did fill the void?" she whispered.

Horatio kissed her temple and smiled against her hairline.

"Oliver," he quietly whispered. "Oliver's given me a new sense of hope."

* * *

Jessica and Horatio walked into the MDPD Crime Lab together the following Monday. Frank greeted them as they walked into the layout room.

"This isn't going to be easy, Horatio," he said. "Internal Affairs is digging into as much as they can about Jessie Bug. They don't have enough evidence to even hold her as a suspect in these suspicious deaths, but they're trying their hardest to find something."

"What is the team doing?" Horatio inquired, rubbing his abdomen where his stitches were beginning to itch.

"Internal Affairs doesn't want anyone from your team working on this case," Frank explained. "They won't even let someone from another shift work it just because it's Jessica."

"So what are they going to do?" Horatio asked.

"Bring in the new kid," Frank said.

Just then a young woman with short brown hair walked in. She was medium height and lean, her body well toned beneath her blouse. Her shiny straight brown hair hit just at chin length and her eyes were amber, like a tiger's. She smiled as she extended her hand to Horatio and then Jessica.

"Officer Joan Farinelli," she said, "It's a pleasure to see you both again, Lieutenant, Dr. Caine."

Jessica smiled as she grasped the young woman's hand. "Good to see you, Joan," she quietly said.

"Sorry I didn't call you like you said to, Dr. Caine," Joan explained. "I figured you didn't want to have to think about something like this while you were in the hospital."

"I appreciate it," Jessica said. "So you're working my case?"

"Yes ma'am," Joan politely said, "and I guarantee I will do the best job I can."

"Good, because I hated prison," Jessica chuckled.

* * *

"So what evidence do you have that places Dr. Caine at the scene?" Joan asked the Internal Affairs agent.

He sighed and looked down at his notes. "Well for starters, the sniper used to shoot the Harrington family is a match to the one that went missing from the ballistics lab," the agent named Doug said.

"Circumstantial," Joan said, crossing it off her own notes, "Anyone could have taken that gun. It doesn't mean Dr. Caine did."

"But not everyone went on a killing spree and killed off an entire family just because her boyfriend was in debt with the Russian mafia," Doug snidely said.

"That's an accusation," Joan said, "You can't make statements like that unless you have evidence that puts the gun in Dr. Caine's hands. Did you test for GSR when she was found?"

"No, she was rushed to the hospital. Her father wouldn't let anyone but the EMTs touch her."

"Well maybe you should have insisted otherwise," Joan said. "You do know that as an investigator we have the right to override parental consent in order to obtain necessary evidence, especially when the child in question is legally an adult."

"Have you ever tried arguing with Horatio Caine?" Doug asked her. "It's damn near impossible."

"Which means it's not entirely impossible," Joan retorted. "Do you have any other non-circumstantial evidence to present?"

"Dr. Caine's car was at the scene where the group of men were found," Doug read from his notes.

"Did she get there first?" Joan asked.

"The best we can tell, yes she did," Doug answered.

"Well that doesn't answer the question," Joan said.

"How?"

"I asked if you knew if her car was there first. What evidence can you present that tells me she was there first?"

Doug was speechless. "I can't, the only witnesses are dead or arrived after Lieutenant Caine."

"Well evidence doesn't lie, but witnesses can be wrong," Joan said, "and unless you have hard evidence that places Dr. Caine at the scene first then that's circumstantial. Besides, how do we know if those men didn't attack her first?"

"They couldn't have."

"Speculation," Joan said, writing on her legal pad. "If you can't give me hard evidence that Jessica Caine killed all those men then I think we're through."

"What?! You're going to let a murderer walk?!"

"No, she's not a murderer," Joan quietly said, "It was self defense."

"How?"

"It's the Russian mafia," Joan said, "You anger them and they all come after you. That's how my brother died."

* * *

"So you see, Dr. Caine was simply defending herself and her fiancé and son against the Russian mafia," Joan said to man behind the desk. "She acted in the only way she knew she could defend her family."

"But this was clearly premeditation," the man said.

"Yes, but she knew what they were going to do," Joan counter argued. "You see, when Dr. Caine and Officer Wolfe went to pay off the original debt the bookie, Rob Harrington, had planted a bomb that was set to go off once he left, hopefully killing Officer Wolfe. Dr. Caine found the bomb just before it detonated sooner than planned. She knew that the Russian mafia would come after her fiancé and son so she acted. Just because she took action before the Harrington family could make their first move doesn't mean she had planned to kill them all along. She was just two steps ahead of them."

The head of Internal Affairs sighed and wrung his face in his hands. He picked up the form on his desk and sighed again as he stuffed it into the paper shredder.

"Fine," he grumbled, "We'll drop the investigation against Dr. Caine. But let her be forewarned- one more wrong move and she's out of here."

Joan smiled and nodded her head. She held out her hand and shook hands with the man behind the desk.

"I'll be sure to tell her," she said.

* * *

"I can't believe it," Jessica chuckled as she held Oliver in her arms, "They're dropping the investigation."

Joan smiled brightly. "Yes ma'am, everything is being placed in an evidence box and stored in the cold case storage room."

Ryan smiled as he pulled Oliver from Jessica's arms. "He's too heavy for you to hold right now, love," he said to her.

Jessica groaned and leaned against Horatio's desk. "But I want to hold my baby!" she whined.

Catherine Willows burst through the door breathlessly and looked around bewilderedly. "Where the hell is he? Where the fuck is Greg?"

"Hey Jess, Ryan, I got your coffee," Greg said from behind Catherine. He looked at the back of his boss's head and his eyes grew twice in size. "Oh shit!" he said as he tried to leave the room. He bumped into Kyle and spilled the coffee on his shirt.

"Shit!" Kyle explained as he pulled the scalding material from his body. "What the hell, Greg? Can't you watch where you're going?"

"Oh shit, I'm so sorry, Kyle!" Greg exclaimed, trying to pick up the paper cups.

Horatio walked up and stared at his shirtless son. "Kyle, where's your shirt?" he asked. He suddenly slipped on the coffee on the floor and momentarily lost his balance, but jerked himself upright. He cried out and clutched his abdomen as pain ran through his body.

"Oh my god, Dad!" Jessica exclaimed, rushing to his side.

"Stop!" Joan exclaimed, stopping her from running through the coffee. "I'll help him. I don't want you straining yourself, too."

Joan helped Horatio carefully settle onto the couch. He was breathing hard and held his abdomen as pain pulsated beneath his skin. Joan knelt before him and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Don't worry," she said, "I'm a trained emergency medical responder. I just want to make sure you haven't damaged anything."

Joan's slender hands wandered across Horatio's stitched skin. She gently palpitated his skin and looked closely at his incision sight.

"I think you're ok," she said. "You just seemed to have strained yourself a little, Lieutenant."

Horatio nodded his head as he began buttoning his shirt. "Thank you, Joan," he quietly said, "I appreciate your concern." He shot an angry look at Greg. "But I must ask, what the hell were you doing, Greg?"

Greg's face flushed and he stared at his feet. "I was trying to get away from Catherine and I spilled my coffee on Kyle's shirt and the floor," he practically whispered.

Catherine scoffed and threw her hands up in the air. "What the hell, Greg? Do you think this is some kind of game? Now Kyle and Lieutenant Caine are hurt because you thought you could run away. Do you have any idea much harm you've caused?"

"It wasn't Greg's fault," Jessica whispered as she sat next to her father on the couch. "It's really my fault. I caused all of this."

"Just stop," Horatio said in a pained voice. "Just everyone stop blaming each other. No one caused this, it was an accident. Everything's fine now and everyone's going home where they belong. Let's just please not fight. We've all been under enough stress lately. Let's just all go get something to eat and we'll be fine."

Everyone was silent for several minutes. Jessica sighed and carefully stood from the couch.

"Alright," she quietly said, "Let's go get some dinner, on me."

"I'll be going now," Joan said as she turned to leave. She stopped when she caught sight of the shirtless Kyle. Her face flushed as her heart suddenly thudded in her chest. Kyle's face flushed and he turned away.

"No Joan," Jessica said, "You're coming along, too. You deserve it after what you've done for us."

"Here Kyle," Ryan said, digging into his pocket for his keys, "There's an extra shirt in my locker. You can borrow it for tonight."

Kyle silently nodded his head as he caught the keys midair. He left the room without saying anything.

* * *

Ryan kissed his way down Jessica's neck and between her breasts. His hand reached around and carefully unclasped her bra. He gently kissed each of her breasts and sucked on her nipples. His hands wandered down her sides and his lips fluttered against the stitches on her abdomen. He quickly undid the fly of her jeans and slid them down her hips with her panties. His mouth made contact with her heated desire and Jessica cried out in pleasure.

"We shouldn't be doing this," she whispered as he hovered over her again.

"I know," he whispered as he carefully slid inside her, "but I need you right now. I need you to know I love you."

"Even after what I did to our friends and family?" Jessica quietly asked.

"Yes, I love you no matter what," Ryan whispered in her ear as he began gently thrusting. "Just tell me if you need to stop. We're going at your pace tonight."

Jessica chuckled and kissed him lovingly. "Don't we always?" she whispered.

* * *

Horatio opened the front door of his house to find Catherine Willows standing on his stoop. She smiled weakly at him.

"Can I come in?" she whispered.

Horatio nodded his head. "Yeah," he quietly said, "Of course you can."

"Thanks," Catherine whispered as she stepped inside. She stopped and looked at him; her eyes swirled with an emotion Horatio couldn't place. She gently placed her hands on his hips and pecked him lightly on the cheek, her hands remaining on his hips.

"I'm sorry I was so angry," she whispered.

"You were scared," Horatio quietly responded. "You didn't know where your CSI was. Understandable you would be frightened and angry."

Catherine looked into his deep blue eyes before she leaned in and kissed him. She pulled back but tentatively kissed him again. Horatio kissed her back and gently twined his fingers into her hair. Their lips parted as their tongues met for the first time.

"If you're excepting me to carry you upstairs to my bedroom and make love to you, don't," Horatio whispered between kisses. "Because you're well over my weight limit so you're going to have to walk there yourself."

Catherine laughed and leaned her cheek against his collar bone. "I think I'll manage," she whispered. She twined her fingers with his and smiled at him. "Just lead the way. It's almost as romantic." Horatio smiled at her as he led her up the stairs.

Catherine sank onto his bed as Horatio straddled her hips. Their lips locked together and his hands wandered beneath her shirt. He felt her soft skin beneath her clothes and slowly began to pull them from her body. Her fingers fumbled as she unbuttoned his shirt. She carefully ran her hand across the incision sight and bruises on his abdomen.

"You really woke up in the middle of your surgery," she chuckled as she slid his pants down his hips.

"I did," Horatio chuckled as he kissed her neck, reaching inside the nightstand drawer. "Scared half the doctors from the room."

Catherine giggled as she pulled his boxer briefs off, freeing his hard erection. She smiled at the sight of him naked and held his hips.

"I've heard a lot of things about you, Horatio Caine," she said, leaning back onto her elbows. "But the one thing I've heard a lot is how you can make any woman's toes curl with pleasure."

Horatio smirked as he rolled on a condom. "Well, why don't you find out for yourself," he quietly said as he settled between her legs.

He pushed into her and Catherine cried out. She groaned as he filled her with his hard manhood.

"Oh god," she gasped, "Just like I like them."

"How's that?" Horatio asked as he began thrusting lightly.

"Big and hard," Catherine said with a moan. "Oh yes! Give it to me, Horatio!"

Horatio smirked as he bit at her neck and thrusted harder. He stopped for a moment when he felt a twinge of pain in his abdomen.

"Are you alright?" Catherine asked, running her hands against his damaged skin.

"Yeah, I'm just not used to bending like this yet," Horatio quietly said as he began thrusting again.

"Or you're not supposed to," Catherine chuckled. She moaned loudly as pleasure swept through her body. "Oh but I'm so glad you are!"

Horatio chuckled as he continued thrusting into her. He had to stop a few more times when his abdomen began hurting again, slowing the process down. Catherine curled her legs up against his hips and smiled when he resumed thrusting for the third time.

"You know just how to keep a woman on edge, don't you?" she seductively whispered in his ear.

"No, it's more like I'm having trouble finishing you out," Horatio grunted.

"Well if you want to stop or try a different position feel free to do so," Catherine said, wrapping her arms around his torso. "I'm up for anything."

Horatio captured her lips with his own as he thrusted as hard as his body would allow him to. Catherine suddenly cried out as pleasure flooded through her body. Horatio's body shuddered against hers as he finally exploded with his release.

They laid in bed together, staring deep into each other's eyes as they came down from their orgasmic highs. Horatio leaned over and gently kissed her.

"There was another reason you came to Miami than just retrieving Greg," he whispered.

Catherine chuckled and kissed him back. "Maybe," she whispered in response. "Maybe I've just wanted to try you out for years now."

"How long?" Horatio inquired as his fingers slid inside her.

Catherine gasped and moaned as Horatio worked his magic. "Since the day I met you," she responded in a winded voice.

"This isn't going to become a regular thing, is it?" Horatio asked, rubbing his fingers roughly against her clitoris.

"Yes!" Catherine gasped. "I mean no. No, I'm not going to fly into town just to fuck around with you. I was just curious about the rumors I've heard. I wanted to know if the great Horatio Caine was really the god in bed everyone made him out to be."

"Were they right?" Horatio asked, biting her neck.

Catherine cried out from her second orgasm. She laid there for a moment, feeling the pulsating sensation between her legs. Horatio carefully pulled his wet hand from her body and secretly wiped it off on the sheet beneath their bodies before settling it on her hip.

"No," Catherine gasped, trying to catch her breath, "You were so much better."

* * *

Horatio smiled as he slowly awoke. He gently stroked Catherine's hair and kissed her temple. She stirred in her sleep and looked at him with drowsy eyes. She smiled at him and kissed him.

"How did you sleep?" he quietly asked.

"Wonderfully," she responded.

Her phone rang and Catherine groaned as she dug it out of her purse. "Willows," she answered.

"Catherine, it's Greg. Where are you?"

Catherine suddenly panicked. She looked at the clock on Horatio's nightstand and swore. "Shit! I'll be there as soon as I can!"

"You better hurry, our flight leaves in an hour," Greg said on the other end of her phone.

Catherine hung up and began to struggle into her clothes. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" she exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Horatio inquired as he began dressing in his clothes from the night before.

"My flight leaves in an hour! I forgot to set an alarm!"

"I'll drive you to the airport," Horatio said. "Did you have any luggage?"

"Just my carry on and purse," Catherine explained. "My purse is here and my bag is downstairs. Shit! I can't believe I forgot!"

Horatio sped to the airport, making it just in time. They rushed through the terminal and found the gate Catherine's flight was leaving from. They found Greg waiting with Jessica and Ryan, Oliver held protectively in Greg's arms. It was Jessica who began laughing first.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed, "You guys had sex last night, didn't you?"

Horatio and Catherine's faces flushed as they tried to hide the truth.

"Oh you did!" Jessica continued to laugh.

"What's it to you?" Horatio playfully retorted, trying to pick up Catherine's bag for her. "We're adults, we'll do as we please." He hissed in pain as he lifted the bag and quickly set it back on the ground. "Never mind, I can't be a gentleman today. It's too heavy for me right now."

"That's ok," Catherine said with a smile, "I think I can manage."

She turned to leave but Horatio stopped her. He leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you," he whispered in her ear, "Last night was the best night I've had in a long time."

Catherine smiled and kissed his cheek. "You're welcome," she whispered in response, "and I must say, you're probably the best I've ever had."

Horatio chuckled and looked into her eyes. "Maybe next time I'm in Vegas," he quietly said with a wink.

"Come on, Catherine," Greg said, handing Oliver to Ryan and grabbing his bag, "We need to go now. Our flight is boarding."

"Look who's talking, Greg," Catherine retorted. "We're still going to have a talk when we get back to Vegas."

Greg's ears flushed and he sighed as he followed her onto the plane.

Ryan, Jessica, and Horatio left the airport together, Oliver happily blabbing in his father's arms.

"So," Jessica finally said after several silent minutes, "You going to be making a few trips to Vegas now, Dad?"

Horatio chuckled and playfully nudged her. "No, Catherine just wanted to know if the rumors were true."

"What rumors?" Ryan inquired, quickly wishing he hadn't.

"That I could make her toes curl with bliss," Horatio smirked. "Which I definitely did last night."


	8. Tiaras, Redheads, and Birthday Fun

Tiaras, Redheads, and Birthday Fun

Jessica smiled as the consultant zipped her dress up. She felt herself tear up at the sight of herself in the all white wedding dress.

"This one better than the first one?" the boutique owner, Martha, asked.

"Oh so much better," Jessica said with a bright smile. "I think this might be the one."

"Well let's see what the girls have to say," Martha smiled as she held the dress's train in her arms.

Jessica walked out of the dressing room and stepped up onto the podium. Calleigh and Natalia gasped and covered their mouths in shock.

"Oh Jessie, you look beautiful!" Calleigh exclaimed.

"That's so your dress!" Natalia said, her eyes watering slightly.

Jessica smiled and looked at her father. "What do you think, Daddy?" she quietly asked.

Horatio stared at the dress with an intense expression on his face. He stood and walked around the podium. He held the black, flat jewelry box in his hands and shook his head.

"No, this isn't the one," he suddenly said, motioning for her to leave. "Try on the next one."

Jessica's heart scattered and her jaw hung open in shock. "What do you mean this isn't the one?" she asked in a small voice. "I love this dress. This is the dress I want to wear on my wedding day."

"It's not the right one," Horatio said, sitting back down on the couch that faced the podium. "Try on another one."

Jessica's face contorted with anger as she gathered the dress's skirt into her arms, cussing her father out under her breath.

Calleigh and Natalia stared at Horatio in shock.

"That was a little harsh," Natalia said.

"Yeah, H, don't you think you should be a little more sensitive about your daughter's wedding dress?" Calleigh asked.

"That wasn't her dress," Horatio said, fidgeting with the box in his hands. "It wasn't the right dress for my little girl."

A still slightly flustered looking Jessica wandered out of the dressing room and back onto the podium in a different dress. She stared her father down as he looked her over.

"Why would you put that dress on if it doesn't make you happy?" he asked her.

"Because you wanted to see another one," Jessica retorted.

"Well obviously neither one of us likes that one, so go take it off," Horatio responded.

Jessica made an angry noise as she left the room again.

"Horatio, are you intentionally trying to make Jessica miserable?" Calleigh asked.

"No, I just want her to find the right dress," Horatio said, nudging Oliver with his foot where the baby lay rolling around on the floor. His grandson laughed and grabbed at his foot. "I don't want her buying the first thing that makes her happy. I want her to find the right one."

Jessica emerged from the dressing room in yet another dress. She looked less angry as she climbed onto the podium. She looked at her father with soft eyes as she smoothed out the material of the skirt.

"What about this one?" she practically whispered.

Horatio looked at the dress and shook his head. "No, that's not the one," he quietly said.

Jessica nodded her head. "I think you're right," she quietly said, hopping off the podium again. She left with Maratha once again and the three sat in silence.

"What do you want for her?" Calleigh quietly asked as she lifted Oliver into her arms.

"I want a dress that she'll fall in love with the moment she sees herself in it," Horatio quietly said, still fiddling with the box in his hands. "Just like her mother did."

Hours crept by as Jessica pulled on dress after dress after dress. She was quickly growing tired with the effort of having to carefully pull the dress on, avoiding her still tender abdomen. She was ready to call it a day after three hours when Martha lifted a dress from the rack in the dressing room.

"Huh, that's weird," she said, carrying the dress to Jessica, "I don't remember picking out this one. Do you want to try it on anyways?"

"Might as well while I'm half naked," Jessica said.

Jessica stepped into the dress and Martha carefully pulled it up her body. She easily zipped it up and smiled.

"Fits like a glove," she said, turning Jessica towards the mirror.

Jessica felt like her heart had stopped. She stared at herself in the mirror as tears welled in her eyes. She covered her mouth in shock and stepped closer to her reflection.

"Oh my gosh," she whispered, "This is it. This is my dress."

Martha smiled and gathered the material of her train in her arms. "Well let's go see what Big Daddy has to say about it."

"If he doesn't like it I'm going to castrate him," Jessica said as she shuffled out of the dressing room.

Calleigh and Natalia stared at her silently as Jessica stepped up onto the podium. Tears began streaming down each of their faces as they took in her presence.

"Oh my god," Natalia whispered through her tears, "That's it. That's your dress."

Jessica smiled at her friends. She looked at her son as Oliver squealed with delight at the sight of his mother. She looked at her father as tears formed in her own eyes.

"Daddy?" she whispered.

Horatio couldn't respond. Tears were streaming down his face as he stood and walked to his daughter. He gently touched her face and looked into her deep blue eyes. He silently opened the jewelry box and lifted the silver tiara from the velvet padding. He carefully placed it on Jessica's head as the tears continued to stream down his face. He held her face in his hands and nodded his head.

"This is it," he whispered through his tears, "This is _your_ dress."

Jessica turned and looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was all white with a sweetheart neckline that showed off her upper body lovely. The top was a corset that ran down to her waist and the skirt flowed from the waistline. She ran her hands over the crystal beading on the corset and trailed it down the vine pattern to the skirt, where it fanned out and shimmered in the light of the boutique. She fanned the skirt out and just looked at herself. She touched the tiara on her head and smiled.

"Yeah, you're right," she whispered. "This is the one."

Horatio placed his hands on his daughter's waist and leaned his cheek against her spine. "I told you you'd find the right one," he whispered.

Jessica giggled and stepped down to hug him. "Thanks Daddy," she whispered.

"Now, Martha," Horatio said, stepping away from his daughter, "Let's discuss numbers."

"Oh no you don't!" Jessica said, trying to rush to his side, the long dress and her tender abdomen making it difficult. "This is my dress so I'm paying for it!"

"No you're not," Horatio chuckled. "This is your big day. You can't pay for your own dress."

"But Daddy," Jessica whined, "You know I can afford this better than you can."

"It's not about money, Jessie," Horatio quietly said. "It's about when makes you happy." He gently held her face and looked into her eyes. "This dress makes you happy. That's all that matters to me. Besides," he grabbed the tag and pulled it off the dress, "The tag's already been removed. You can't return it now."

"And I'll never know how much it cost," Jessica grumbled as she began shuffling back to the dressing room. "Ass," she muttered under her breath.

Jessica and Horatio rode back to her condo in Horatio's car. Oliver snoozed silently in the backseat, his head resting against the side of his car seat and his thumb in his mouth. Jessica reached back and carefully pulled his hand away from his mouth.

"I wish Ryan wouldn't let him do that," she quietly said. "I think it's a nasty habit."

Horatio chuckled and squeezed her hand. "Just like your mother," he said.

Jessica opened the lid of the jewelry box and carefully lifted the tiara from its padding.

"Where did this come from?" she inquired. "I've never seen it before."

"It belonged to your Grandma Caine," Horatio quietly said. "She wore it on her wedding day."

Jessica looked over the tiara. It was silver with several tiny diamonds and pearls encrusted in it. It shined brightly, though Jessica could tell it was old.

"It's been passed down through generations, starting with your great-great-grandmother. It was the only thing the robbers didn't take that day. The day they broke into our house and killed my father," Horatio quietly explained. "The last one to where it was your mother. My mother knew how much I loved your mother. She gave it to me for her to wear on our wedding day."

"But that never happened," Jessica whispered.

Horatio shook his head. "I gave it to her a week before your parents got married," he quietly said. "She didn't want to wear it at first, but I insisted. She looked so beautiful. Just like the princess I knew she was."

Jessica nearly growled as she grasped at her abdomen. "Oh my god, it itches so badly!"

Ryan couldn't help but chuckle at his fiancée's misfortune. "Did you at least learn your lesson?"

"Yeah, wear body armor," Jessica said as she scratched at her skin through her shirt. "Oh fuck this!" She pulled her shirt off over her head and roughly ran her palms against the scar tissue on her stomach.

Ryan sat on the couch and watched Jessica's hands rub against her delicate skin. He watched as her muscles clenched and her breasts bounced as she jostled around the living room. His pants began to tighten as he engorged with excitement. He pulled his fly open and slid his hand into his pants, gently stroking himself. Jessica stopped and stared at him.

"Are you really masturbating to the sight of me suffering?" she snapped.

"No, I'm masturbating to the sight of my soon to be wife's breasts bouncing so hard they're nearly hitting her in the face," Ryan said as he began to grow erect. "Oh god, and they look tasty."

Jessica gave him a mischievous look and sauntered over to him. She knelt on the couch, straddling his legs. She grasped her breasts, still encased in her bra, and began kneading and squeezing them.

"You know, when I first met Mark he asked how much my rack cost." Jessica seductively smiled. "I told him Mother Nature made them for me. He didn't believe me."

"What did you do?" Ryan asked, still sliding his hand against his hard member beneath her legs.

"I let him cop a feel." Jessica pulled Ryan's hands free and placed them on her breasts. "You see, Ryan, silicone implants give breasts a firmer feel, almost stiff, but natural are more malleable. You can knead them and squeeze them and they just form to the shape of your hands."

Ryan suddenly felt his cock begin to leak within his pants. Jessica's hands slid behind her back and she unclasped her bra. It fell into Ryan's lap as she guided his hands back to her chest.

"I thought about getting implants, back when I was dancing," Jessica continued on in the same seductive tone. "But I knew stripping was only a summer gig. I knew once I was done rolling around the joint they would just be a nuisance. I mean, running around, catching the bad guys. They'd probably hit me in the face and knock me unconscious. So I decided against it. Besides, I hear guys are more into all natural when it comes to real girls."

Ryan felt his pants pull as his erection twitched upwards. His boxers were tenting and his member was slowly pushing its way out.

"Oh please let me fuck you," he quietly said as he began pulsating harder. "You're so hot."

Jessica smiled and captured his lips with her own. "I think I can comply," she whispered in his ear.

Sara Sidle walked out to her mailbox. She realized she hadn't gotten her mail in three days and was worried what the mail carrier would think.

She shuffled through bills and glanced at the forensic journal for that month. She smiled when she found a letter from Grissom and slipped it into her workbag, hoping for a chance to read it during her lunch. She stopped and looked at the postcard postmarked from Miami, FL. She smiled at the sight of the picture of the young couple with their child on the front and read the message printed on the back.

"_Officer Ryan Wolfe and Dr. Jessica Caine (and little Oliver too) graciously request that you save the date for the day of their matrimonial union, June 15__th__, located in Miami, FL. Interpreter services will be provided for those with hearing implements."_

Sara smiled to herself as she read over the card again as she walked through the crime lab. She tossed her stuff in her locker but kept the postcard with her as she walked to the break room.

"Hey, did anyone else get the save the date card from Jessica and Ryan?" she asked as she ran into the rest of her team.

"Sure did," Nick said, still glancing through his forensic journal. "Cute picture, too. Little Ollie's growing up so fast."

"The days are just closing in on them," Catherine chuckled as she poured a cup of coffee. "I hope this isn't from yesterday."

"Oh my gosh!" Greg exclaimed as he ran into the break room. "You guys are never going to believe this!"

"You finally figured out how the toilet works," Nick said, still not looking up from his magazine.

"No!" Greg retorted, "Jessica and Ryan just called me. They asked me to be a groomsman!"

"Really? They did?" Catherine excitedly asked. "Congratulations, Greg!"

"Thanks!" Greg said with a huge smile.

"I'm still pissed at you," Catherine quickly added.

Greg groaned. "Catherine, that was six weeks ago. Can't I be ungrounded now?"

"Nope, sorry, Greggo, it's going to take a lot more than just that to make me forgive you for the panic attack you gave me."

"Well it gave you the opportunity to finally sleep with Horatio Caine!" Greg slapped his hand over his mouth and his eyes grew huge with shock. Catherine stared at him with her mouth hung open, as an eerie silence fell over the room.

Nick's booming laugh finally broke the silence. "You slept with Lieutenant Caine?! Oh my god, I can't believe it! Does Jessica know?"

"Jessica was the one to figure it out," Greg smirked as he dodged Catherine's hand grabbing at him.

Nick laughed again. "Oh that is priceless. I bet Ray would love to hear about that one."

Nick smiled as he read the name on his phone, bringing it to his ear.

"Well hello Dr. Caine," he brightly said, "What brings you to me?"

"We have a question for you, Nicky," Jessica cheerfully responded.

"And what would that be?"

"We're wondering if you'd like to be one of our groomsmen," Ryan's voice sounded.

Nick stopped as a wide smile spread across his face. "Holy shit, hell yes I would!" he excitedly exclaimed.

"Great!" Jessica happily said, "We have an appointment in four months for you and Greg to fly in and get fitted for your tuxedoes, but you can't change in size for another year. There will be a last minute fitting one week before, but you have to promise us you can make it."

"Oh my gosh, Jelly Belly, I would love to be in your bridal party!" Nick continued. "Oh the lab rat's going to hate this one!"

Jessica and Ryan laughed together in Nick's ear. "Now don't be too hard on him, Nicky," Jessica chuckled, "I hear he's still in trouble with Catherine."

Jessica laid with her head on her father's chest as they watched a movie together, just the two of them.

"Just like when I was a kid," Jessica whispered. "Back when work and school and wedding plans and that needy fiancé of mine didn't get in the way."

Horatio chuckled and kissed the top of her head. He buried his nose into her hair while he dug into his pocket.

"I have a surprise for you," he whispered to her.

"Catherine's not pregnant, is she?" Jessica asked with an evil smirk on her face.

"No, but I think you'll like this a little better."

Horatio pulled a black ring box from his pocket. He opened it and Jessica stared at the silver Claddagh ring in the padding.

"What is it?" she quietly asked.

"This also belonged to your grandmother," Horatio quietly explained, removing the ring from the case. "Your great-grandfather gave this to my grandmother when they stared dating. Then it was passed down to my mother. She then gave it to me. And I gave it to your mother. She returned it when we drifted apart. She told me to give it to the next special woman in my life. But I never found another one like her. That is, until I met you."

Jessica looked up at him with her deep blue eyes. Horatio gently held her right hand and slid the ring onto her middle finger.

"That's the same one your mother wore it on," he whispered.

Jessica examined the ring on her hand, the two hands holding the heart between them.

"Why are you giving it to me?" she whispered.

"Because when I was on that operating table your mother came to me," Horatio quietly explained. "She told me to give it to you. It's an Irish promise ring."

"What promise are you making to me?" Jessica asked in a small voice.

Horatio held her face in his hands. He kissed her forehead and let his lips linger there for a moment.

"The same one I've been making to her for twenty-nine years," he whispered. "To protect you and keep you safe, no matter what."

Oliver squealed with delight as Jessica set the birthday cake in front of him. His small hands grasped towards it but Jessica stopped him.

"_Hot,"_ she signed, pointing to the candle.

Oliver looked at it briefly. He grabbed it by the base and threw it to the tile floor of his Grandfather's kitchen. Everyone laughed as he began grabbing handfuls of cake and stuffing it into his face. He smiled brightly when Jessica snapped a picture of his frosting covered face.

"Little tike knows what he likes," Eric chuckled as he picked up the candle. "Uh oh, looks like it may have left a burn mark." He rubbed his thumb against the scorched tile, trying to clean off the black smear.

"Don't worry about it," Horatio said as he tried to cut the cake while avoiding Oliver's little hands. "I can replace it. I've been thinking about retiling this floor anyways." He scratched at his abdomen, unable to hide the discomfort on his face.

"Still experiencing some discomfort?" Alexx inquired.

"Yeah, I thought I would be over this by now." Horatio said, "The surgery was two months ago."

Alexx chuckled and patted his arm. "Re-growing a liver is a lot of work for your body," she said.

"But it was worth it," he said, kissing the side of Jessica's head. She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Thanks Dad," she whispered.

After they ate their cake Jessica and Horatio began cleaning up. When her hair trailed through a plate of frosting Jessica sighed and straightened back up.

"I need to get a haircut," she muttered as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. "It's getting to be too long."

"But it looks so good that length," Calleigh chuckled as she helped.

"Yeah, but it's annoying."

Ryan stared at her and gently grasped her shoulder. He tilted her neck and looked at the back of her head.

"Have you always had that red streak?" he asked her.

Jessica looked at him confused. "What are you talking about, Ryan?"

"You have a streak of red hair, right here." His fingers touched the base of her skull and ran a few inches upwards. "It's not the full piece, just the roots."

Jessica stared at him. She walked into the hallway and tried to look in the mirror. She gasped when she found what Ryan was talking about. "Oh my god," she muttered, "When did that happen?"

Everyone followed her and looked at her hair. At the very back of Jessica's head was a chuck of hair that was red at the base, about two inches in length.

"I swear I've never seen that before," Ryan said.

"And I would think you'd notice something like this on your fiancée," Eric commented.

Horatio stepped forward and gently touched her shoulders. His fingers grazed along the red patch and he looked at her in the mirror. Jessica gently touched his head and leaned it towards her own, until the side of his head met hers. The chuck of red hair matched Horatio's perfectly.

"Well I'll be damned," Alexx chuckled, "It happened again."

"This better not happen to the rest of my hair," Jessica sighed, "because I hate the look of boxed blondes."

"What, you don't like the red?" Eric chuckled.

"It looks good on some people, but I really don't think I want to be a ginger kid," Jessica said with another sigh. "Horatio Caine, what have you done to me?"

Horatio wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind and kissed the back of her neck. "Just leaving my mark as I save my daughter's life," he whispered.

Jessica rubbed her eyes and stared at the computer screen. Horatio walked in and set a cup of coffee in front of her and Eric.

"Thanks H," Eric said as he took a long drink, "I needed this."

"You're welcome, Eric," Horatio said as he began to massage his daughter's shoulders.

Jessica's phone vibrated and she looked to see a text from Ryan.

'Log into Skype! You're going to love this!'

Jessica sighed and logged into her Skype account. Ryan's excited face immediately filled the screen.

"Jessie, you're never going to believe this!" he exclaimed.

Ryan backed away from the computer and the living room of their condo came into view. Oliver was sitting on the floor, laughing and squealing as his father walked to him. Ryan held out his hands and Oliver reached for him and grasped them. He pulled himself up onto shaking legs and smiled up at Ryan. Oliver slowly but surely began walking across the carpeting, Ryan still holding his hands tightly.

Jessica covered her mouth in shock as her eyes began to water. "Our son's walking!" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Oh my god, he's walking!"

"Yeah, he's been trying all day and he finally got it like ten minutes ago!" Ryan excitedly said through the computer speakers.

Horatio leaned over her shoulder and smiled as he watched his grandson clumsily walk across the carpeting. Eric chuckled as he watched his Godson take his first few steps.

"Little tike's ambitious," Eric said, "I thought kids didn't start walking until they were like fifteen months and he just had his first birthday yesterday."

They watched as Oliver toddled about the room, aided by Ryan. Oliver squealed and jumped when Lucy trotted into the room. He suddenly let go of Ryan's hands and ran the short distance to Lucy. The dog knelt down and Oliver climbed onto her back. He laughed as Lucy began walking around the living room, Oliver holding onto her collar like a horse bridle.

"Now where did he learn that?" Jessica laughed, brushing the tears from her eyes.

Ryan laughed and tried to catch Lucy as she dodged him. "I don't know," he said, "but I have a feeling this isn't the first time this has happened."

"Must be inheritance," Horatio chuckled, "Jessie Bug used to ride my dog like that when she was a baby. No wonder the poor thing ran away."

Oliver stumbled as he rose to his feet on his own. He fell onto his butt and made an annoyed face. He carefully tried again and managed to maintain his balance this time. He slowly but surely began his journey towards his mother. He stumbled again but quickly stood once more. It was a slow process but before Jessica knew it she was holding her tiny son in her arms.

"_Mommy, I walked!"_ Oliver excitedly signed to her.

Jessica smiled and kissed her son. _"You did, Ollie. I'm so proud!"_

"_I want to walk more!" _Oliver said to her.

Jessica smiled and set Oliver on the floor. He quickly stood up and walked on clumsy legs around the living room. Jessica felt the tears form in her eyes as she watched as her son grew up before her very eyes.

The nurse waved the ultrasound wand across Jessica's abdomen as the screen displayed what they couldn't see through her damaged skin.

"Well it looks like your liver's growing back just fine," Alexx said, looking over the screen. "It's not all the way done growing, but you're getting there."

"What are my restrictions?" Jessica inquired as the nurse cleaned off her abdomen.

"Still no alcohol and try to go easy on the fast food," Alexx explained. "I know you're not into the greasy stuff that can be prepared in less than sixty seconds, but I also know as a CSI you can't always pick your meals and you take what you can get."

"What about physical restrictions?" Jessica asked.

Alexx chuckled as she scribbled something in Jessica's file. "You can resume your normal exercise routine at the gym, but don't strain yourself. If it hurts then stop. And you can go back to banging your husband in any position you want."

Jessica couldn't help but laugh at Alexx's comment. "Hey, we're not married yet. We've still got a little over a year to go."

Alexx smiled and hugged her tightly. "Enjoy the rest of your birthday, Jessie Bug," she whispered.

"Thanks Alexx," Jessica said with a bright smile.

Jessica barely made it through the door before Ryan pinned her against the wall and began kissing her hungrily. His left hand roamed across her body as his right set the alarm, not even needing to look to know what he was doing.

"I am going you bang you so hard," Ryan said between kisses, "That you're going to limp for a week." He grabbed Jessica's ass and lifted her onto his hips. He carried her up the stairs and to their bedroom. He laid her out on the bed as he began pulling her clothes from her body.

"Wait, where's Oliver?" Jessica asked as she began gasping for air.

"He's with Horatio," Ryan answered as he began ravishing her body in a hot frenzy.

Jessica gasped and moaned as his mouth and tongue explored every inch of her bare skin. She reached down and grasped his hard member in her hand, feeling him pulsating with his desire. He bit at her neck and laved his tongue around each of her nipples until they were hard and tender. He worked his way lower and ran his tongue across every inch of her jagged abdomen. Jessica cried out as Ryan's mouth finally made contact with her heated desire. His warm breath and slick tongue made her body quiver with pleasure as Ryan secretly slicked himself with lube.

Jessica nearly lost control as he slid inside her and heat spread through out her inner self. Ryan buried himself to the hilt and kissed her passionately.

"Oh god," she gasped, "Warming sensations?"

"Only your favorite for your birthday, my love," Ryan growled in her ear as he began thrusting.

Jessica moaned as she felt like electricity was running through her body. Ryan held her legs as she curled them up against his hips.

"More," she managed in a winded voice.

Ryan thrusted harder, slamming his pelvis against hers. Jessica's voice rang out in their bedroom as the head board began pounding against the wall and the entire bed shook with the force of their bodies.

"Oh god," Jessica cried out, "Oh god, yes, Yes, YES! Oh give it to me, Ryan!"

Ryan bit down on her bottom lip and invaded her mouth with his tongue. Her nails raked down his back as the passion between them exploded and took over their bodies. It was animalistic as they continued to hump in their bed, neither wanting to finish just yet.

She grabbed his buttocks in her hands and squeezed his cheeks roughly, slapping her hand against his ass a few times.

"Oh god, Ryan!" Jessica cried out as pleasure filled her body.

Ryan growled in her ear as he bit at her neck. "Oh Jessica," he managed, "Jessica!"

Jessica's nails dug into the skin of his shoulders and spine and Ryan felt the trickle of small trails of blood running down his back. He drove his intense desire into her as hard as he could.

The pleasure between them erupted as Jessica felt Ryan explode within her. She screamed his name as she felt her own explosion of pleasure run from her.

They lay panting for air together in bed, Ryan collapsed on top of Jessica. She rolled over and laid atop him.

"Sorry," she whispered, "I think you're too heavy to do that right now."

"You still have a few restrictions?" Ryan gasped as he ran his hands along her back.

"Yeah, if it hurts don't do it, and you were kind of making something hurt, no offense."

"None taken," Ryan said in a winded voice as he began kissing her. "Damn, every fucking time is sooooo good with you. How did I get so lucky to manage to fall in love with the human embodiment of Aphrodite?"

Jessica chuckled and kissed him back. "How did I manage to fall in love with a man who has a penis the size of Pluto?"

Ryan chuckled and gently ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm not that big, am I?"

"You never watched porn, did you?" Jessica inquired.

"Not really," Ryan quietly admitted.

"Well let's just say you make those guys look like little leaguers. My god, I'm surprised you haven't popped a lung or something. I think a frickin jackhammer would feel less powerful than you."

Ryan's ears turned red and Jessica giggled as she leaned down to kiss each of them. "You're so adorable when you get embarrassed. Just trust me, it's a good thing I'm saying these things about you. Kind of makes me wonder if our son will take after you in that department."

Ryan couldn't help but chuckle and gasp as Jessica tightened her kegel muscles and began thrusting her hips against him. "You want to go again already?" he asked as he began thrusting with her.

"Ryan Wolfe, with you I could go all day long," Jessica said as she felt herself start pulsating in time with her desire. "You know why? Because I love you and I want to spend the rest of our lives together."

"Do you think we'll get kicked out of the old folks' home for humping too loudly when we're ninety?" Ryan asked with a chuckle as his erection quickly grew harder.

"If they don't kick us out for racing around on everyone else's motorized scooters," Jessica laughed.

Horatio laughed as he watched his grandson somersault around his living room. He followed Oliver's every move with his camera as he broadcasted it live with Pete and Patricia Johnson.

"_He seems to be quite the handful,"_ Pete Johnson signed on Horatio's computer screen.

"_Yes,"_ Horatio responded as he set down his camera, _"He's a lot like his mother. I'm just hoping he's not going to climb onto the roof to watch a meteor shower or try to build a snowman in a blizzard."_

"_Are they going to have him implanted?"_

"_No, Jessica doesn't believe in implanting babies and the idea scared Ryan out of his mind, once he actually learned about the procedure. They decided if Oliver wants one later on in life then he can have one, but not right now. They want him to grow up like a Deaf child should."_

"_What's he doing now?"_ Pete asked gesturing towards where Oliver would be.

Horatio turned to see Oliver laughing as Lucy ran away with him clinging to her back.

"Lucy!" he yelled, running after the dog, "Come back here with him!"

Oliver laughed as he watched his Grandfather unsuccessfully attempt to catch him. Horatio finally managed to catch them. He pried Oliver off Lucy's back and shooed the dog outside. He set Oliver in an armchair and looked at him with a stern expression that Horatio knew the small child understood he was in trouble.

"_Time out,"_ Horatio signed to him. He walked back to his computer as Oliver began crying.

"_What happened?"_ Pete asked.

"_He keeps riding around on the dog's back,"_ Horatio explained. _"We've been trying to stop this habit before he gets to be too big for Lucy to handle."_

"_Is he crying?"_ Pete inquired as he leaned within the computer screen, trying to get a better look.

"_Yes,"_ Horatio responded, turning the camera so Pete could see where Oliver was sitting, _"He understands what he's done was wrong. I'm not sure if he's more upset about getting in trouble or making me mad."_

"_He's a very intelligent child,"_ Pete commented, _"Must take after his Grandfather."_

Horatio smiled at him. It was the first time in his life Pete Johnson had ever acknowledged him as Jessica's father.

"_I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch all these years, Pete," _Horatio sighed.

"_It's alright, Horatio,"_ Pete responded. _"You were a mess after Jessabelle died. I knew you still loved her, we all did. Then you had that horrible wife that was so terrible to you and our Izzy. And of course there was James. That was a whole disarray of its own. I just wish you had told me sooner that Elizabeth was still alive. At least, in someway she was alive. All these years we thought she was dead. And then she shows up out of nowhere last year and she's pregnant. I just wish I had known."_

"_I'm sorry, Pete,"_ Horatio said again, _"I should have told you."_

Oliver whimpered and Horatio looked towards him.

"_I'm sorry, Grandpa,"_ Oliver sighed, _"I'm sorry I broke the rules and rode on Lucy's back."_

Horatio smiled and walked over to the chair where his grandson sat. He knelt down and kissed his forehead.

"_Apology accepted, Ollie,"_ he sighed.

"_Do you still love me?"_ Oliver asked as tears crawled down his cheeks.

Horatio smiled and gathered him into his arms. _"I could never hate you, Ollie Bug."_

He carried Oliver with him back to where his computer sat on the coffee table. Pete Johnson smiled at the sight of his great-nephew.

"_He's so incredibly intelligent,"_ he said. _"He already signs better then most of the interpreters I know."_

Horatio smiled and kissed the top of Oliver's head as the small child began to drift to sleep in his arms.

"_Yeah, that's my grandson,"_ he signed.

Everyone sang as Horatio set the birthday cake in front of Jessica. She smiled brightly as she looked at the thirty candles on the cake. She easily blew them all out in one breath and everyone clapped as Ryan began cutting the cake and handing it out to everyone.

"So how does it feel to officially be old?" Eric chuckled as he sat down next to Jessica.

Jessica giggled and prodded at her cake. "Weird, I'm no longer twenty years old. It's like when I turned twenty and I was no longer a teenager."

"What did you wish for?" Calleigh asked.

Jessica smiled and reached for Ryan's hand. "Nothing, because I already have everything I've ever wanted in life."

Horatio was silent as he picked at his cake. Jessica didn't miss the distress on his face. She lingered in the kitchen as he began cleaning up, stalling while everyone told her to come open presents.

"What's wrong, Dad?" she quietly asked.

Horatio looked at her as tears formed in his eyes. He pulled Jessica into his arms and held her tightly as he started to cry.

"My baby's turning thirty," he said, choking on his tears. "It's not right. It feels just like yesterday you were toddling around my living room and we were cuddling in my bed together because Brian dropped you off unexpectedly again. You're not supposed to be thirty just yet. You're my little girl. You weren't supposed to grow up this fast. Why did time pass by so fast?"

Jessica smiled and leaned her cheek against his clavicle. "I'll always be your little girl, Daddy," she whispered to him. "I'm just a grown up version."

"But you weren't supposed to grow up so fast," Horatio said again. "You're my baby, and now you have a baby of your own and a husband and a career and a house and that stupid mutt that keeps hiding my shoes. Where did the time go?"

Jessica softly kissed his neck and held him close. "It went by too fast," she whispered, "because we were enjoying every minute of it together."

"I love you, Jessie Bug," Horatio whispered.

"I love you, too, Daddy H," she responded, just as she had for the past thirty years.


	9. A Hot Mess

**Sorry I failed at updating for so long. I had a lot going on and then it took me awhile to decide if I actually wanted to include this chapter in the story or not. It was one of those I wrote it and then couldn't decide if it fit into what I was writing. Hope it's not too weird. :/**

* * *

A Hot Mess

* * *

Horatio and Eric walked into Jessica's condo, Eric carrying the small Oliver in his arms.

"Are you sure Jess and Ryan won't mind us just walking in like this?" Eric inquired as they began climbing the steps.

"Its fine," Horatio reassured him, "I do it all the time." He rapped at the bedroom door and listened to the music playing inside. "Jess?" he said loudly, "Jessica, are you in there?" He grasped the doorknob and it easily turned in his hand. He opened the door and stopped and stared at the sight before him.

Jessica was at the end of the bed, one knee knelt on top of the bedding and the other on the floor with her legs spread far apart. Ryan was pressed up against her backside, straddling her hips. They were both naked and Ryan's cock was clearly between Jessica's buttocks.

They stared at Horatio with their flushed faces shocked. Horatio's grip on the doorknob tightened as anger flooded through him. He tried to walk into the room but Eric grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away, slamming the door shut.

Eric pulled Horatio down the stairs and into the living room. He set Oliver on the floor and the small child laughed as he toddled over to where Lucy lay sleeping.

"I'm going to kill him!" Horatio growled as he tried to leave the room.

"No, Horatio," Eric said, keeping a firm grip on his arm so Horatio couldn't move, "Just leave them. They're just having sex."

"You couldn't see what he was doing to my baby!" Horatio snipped at Eric, "He was fucking her in the ass!"

"Because I said he could!" Jessica snapped as she walked into the room, now fully clothed. She walked towards Horatio and did her best not to limp. "What the hell are you doing in my house anyways?"

"I have a key!" Horatio snipped at her. "What were you doing with that man?!"

"We were experimenting!" Jessica retorted, "No one said what we can and can't do in _our_ bedroom! Especially you, Horatio!"

"He could hurt you!" Horatio growled, angry still filling his every pore.

"But he wasn't!" Jessica snapped back at him. "Ryan made sure I was well prepped, he used plenty of lube, he wore a condom, and he bought a special muscle relaxant for me especially designed for anal sex before he even asked if we could try. He even researched the best method to avoid injury, which meant he ran the risk of getting a computer virus, just so I would be safe after I agreed to try this. He made sure he wouldn't hurt me in anyway, Horatio. Ryan loves me far too much to risk my health and safety like that. He made sure he was doing everything right so I would get my full enjoyment out of it. He's not that kind of guy, Horatio. He didn't do this just for himself. He did this so we could try a little something different from our normal routine."

Horatio glared at her, his temper still hot. He clenched his hands in fists as he tried to take deep breaths.

"Where is he?" he finally grumbled.

"Upstairs because he's afraid you're going to castrate him!" Jessica snapped, "Despite how long we've been together, Ryan's still afraid of you, Horatio! He's scared he'll make the wrong choice and you'll take back the rings or make him move away!" Jessica released an exasperated breath and stared at him. "Why can't you just understand we're trying to have a little fun? Ryan didn't force me to do anything against my will. He's not into rape, Dad."

Horatio felt like something exploded inside his chest. He was suddenly so anxious he didn't know what to do. He wanted to hurt someone but cry all at the same time. He turned and walked away from her, trying to put some distance between their bodies.

* * *

Horatio sped down the interstate with the sirens and lights going on his Hummer. He dodged around cars that weren't fast enough to pull over and weaved through the streets of Miami.

"Horatio," Calleigh said from the passenger seat, "Slow down! The crime scene isn't going anywhere. You don't need the sirens or lights."

Horatio was silent as he flicked off the siren and lights, but continued to angrily drive down the street. His eyes stared hard out the windshield behind his dark sunglasses.

"Horatio, talk to me," Calleigh softly said. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," Horatio mumbled.

"Oh please," Calleigh scoffed, "You're as terrible a liar as Jessica. What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," Horatio repeated.

"Is this about you catching them in the middle of their sexual adventure?"

Horatio's silence told Calleigh she was right.

"Horatio, Jessica's a grown woman. She can make whatever choices she wants. I talked to Ryan about the whole situation. He told me he was a little curious about anal sex but didn't know how to bring it up to Jessica." Calleigh looked at Horatio with a hard expression. "I told him just to ask her. If she didn't want to do it then she would say no, but he would never know until he asked her."

"You told that man to do those terrible things to my baby?" Horatio grumbled as he took off when the light turned green a little too fast.

"She's not a baby, Horatio," Calleigh snapped. "She's an adult. She might be your baby, but that doesn't mean she can't do things her own way. I'm sorry you're humiliated because of what you saw, but just think about how they feel. What is this, like time number three you've walked in on them? I'm pretty sure they're always going to be more embarrassed than you are about walking in on them having sex. Think of it this way- what if Ryan was your son and not Jessica? What if it was Kyle you walked in on experimenting with a girl? Would you still feel the same way?"

"Of course not!" Horatio snapped a little. "Jessica's my little girl! I have to protect her!"

"Do you really?" Calleigh asked him. "Because I'm pretty sure she held her own against the Russian Mafia a few months ago."

"She almost paid with her life," Horatio quietly muttered.

"Horatio," Calleigh said in an exasperated voice, "Will you just get off their backs and let Jessica and Ryan live their life? I think they're doing just fine on their own, without your interference."

Horatio was silent as he continued to speed down the street, not caring what anyone thought about him.

* * *

Horatio's shoulder collided with Ryan's in the hall. He continued walking, not even bothering to stop to apologize or help pick up the case file that went flying everywhere.

Ryan growled in frustration as he dropped to his knees and began gathering his papers.

"Fucking bastard," he grumbled under his breath, "Fucking two faced, overbearing, numb nut bastard."

Eric knelt down to help Ryan. He tried to give Ryan a reassuring look but Ryan wouldn't have any of it.

"Thanks Eric," he muttered as he stood to his feet. He flinched in pain and tried to steady himself without the help of anything.

"You ok, Wolfe?" Eric quietly asked.

"I'm fine," Ryan muttered, trying to hide the pain in his voice. "I just wish he would listen to me."

Eric grasped his shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. "I'm sorry, Ryan," he whispered, "Horatio can be so pigheaded sometimes."

Ryan nodded his head and blinked rapidly.

"Come on," Eric whispered, "Let's go find an empty conference room and sort through your paperwork."

Ryan nodded his head again and followed his friend down the hall.

Eric sat at the table but Ryan remained standing as he tried to sort through all the forms in the folder.

"God, this is such a mess now," he muttered as he began sorting everything by date. "Why the hell did he do that?"

Eric sighed and shook his head. "I think he's still mad," he quietly said.

"But Jessica told him it was consensually!" Ryan snapped. "I asked her and she said she would be willing to give it a try! I did the research, I found the supplies, and I even asked the attendant at the naughty store a few pointers for both partners! I tried so hard to ensure the safety of _his_ daughter so that way we could both enjoy the experience! And he's being such a dick about this!"

Ryan sank into a chair and covered his face. He quickly stood again and paced the room as he tried to fight off the tears he could feel threatening to fall.

"I just don't want to loose her over something like this!" Ryan continued, "I love Jessica and Oliver so much, but nothing I do will be good enough for Horatio Caine! I just want to make her happy and raise a healthy son but he's so overbearing! I feel like nothing I do will ever be good enough for him! Every time I try something he shuts me out! I can't stand it anymore! I just want to call off the wedding!"

"Whoa buddy," Eric said, standing from his chair and walking over to Ryan, "Don't go making harsh accusations like that. You can't call off your wedding just because your soon to be father-in-law caught you with your dick buried between his daughter's butt cheeks. You just need to calm down and relax. Give H a few days to stew about this and he'll be back to normal. Come on, here, sit down, take a few deep breaths, and just try to relax."

"I don't want to sit down," Ryan grumbled, pulling away from Eric. "It hurts too much to sit down."

Eric looked at Ryan confused. "What happened? Did you hurt yourself?"

Ryan looked at Eric with his tear stained face and distressed eyes.

"Eric, if I tell you something, will you swear you won't tell anyone?"

* * *

Eric found Horatio working alone in one of the labs. No one really wanted to be around him when he was being so irritable.

"I think you need to cut Wolfe some slack, H," he said as he approached the table.

Horatio shot him an angry look before he continued scrapping a biological stain from a man's t-shirt.

"Horatio, you don't understand the situation completely," Eric continued. "There's more to the story that you don't know, but you won't listen to Ryan. Give him a few minutes of your time and you'll see what I mean."

"I don't want to talk to that man," Horatio grumbled. "Not after what he did to my daughter."

"But do you know what she did first?" Eric hissed at him.

Horatio's neck cracked as he whipped his head around to look at Eric. "What did Jessica do?"

Eric shook his head and took a step back. "I can't tell you," he quietly said, "I promised my friend."

Horatio was left standing there alone, again, suddenly wondering what Eric meant.

* * *

Horatio sat on his back porch alone, staring out at the ocean as the light from the setting sun reflected off it. The backdoor suddenly opened and Ryan walked out carrying Oliver in his arms with a messenger bag swung over his left shoulder. Horatio stood and anger burned in him at the sight of the other man. Before he could do anything Ryan shoved Oliver into his arms.

"Now you are going to listen to me," Ryan hissed. "I have been trying to tell you all day what really happened when you caught us yesterday, but you refuse to listen to me. Instead you have been rude, ignorant, and just plain mean to me. I love your daughter very much, Horatio Caine. I'm sorry you couldn't find a better suitor for her in time for her to get married, but you're stuck with me now. I don't know why one minute you're elated that Jessica and I are getting married and the next you want to rip my balls off, but this has to end. You agreed to my proposition almost two years ago when I asked for Jessica's hand in marriage. If you don't want me to marry her then just say the word and I'll call the whole thing off. But you will not continue to give me the third degree just because you don't like what we did."

"Ryan," Horatio growled stepping towards the younger man, "I never said I didn't want you to marry Jessica."

"Then why won't you get off my back about this whole ordeal?" Ryan snapped, interrupting him.

Horatio suddenly wanted to grab Ryan, but he couldn't because of Oliver. He immediately understood why Ryan had placed the small child in his arms. He was using his grandson as a shield.

"You bastard," Horatio hissed under his breath, "Using my grandson against me."

"I'm not using him against you," Ryan retorted, "I just wanted a guaranteed way to get you to listen without you trying to strangle me. You won't stand still for two minutes to hear my side of the story."

Ryan grabbed his son from Horatio's arms and set him just inside the doorway.

"_Go play in the living room,"_ Ryan signed as he handed Oliver his toy fire truck from the messenger bag. Oliver squealed with delight and ran through Horatio's house.

Ryan turned back towards Horatio, anger burning in his hazel eyes.

"I wanted to tell you what we did before you walked in on us," Ryan quietly said, though he knew his son would never hear his words. "We weren't just experimenting one way."

Horatio gave him a measured look. "What do you mean?" he quietly asked.

Ryan opened the messenger bag and reached inside. He pulled out one of the strangest things Horatio had ever seen. It was a double ended dildo with a harness. One end was larger and faced inwards with the harness. The other end was smaller, more slender in design.

"Jessica had this end inside her," Ryan explained, gesturing towards the larger end of the dildo. "Then this harness went around her waist and thighs. This end," he pointed to the smaller end, "is what she thrusted inside me."

Horatio felt the color drain from his face as he stared at the strange sex toy. His mouth was dry and he seemed to be lost for words.

"Both ends vibrate to increase pleasure, but only Jessica had the vibrator going on her end," Ryan continued. "I just wanted to know what it felt like before we got too extreme."

Horatio licked his lips and tried to clear his dry throat. "You let her have sex with you while wearing a strap-on?" he quietly asked when he found his voice again.

Ryan nodded his head. "When I asked her about experimenting with anal sex she said she would agree, but on one condition: we both had to try it on the receiving end. I didn't really want to do it, but I love Jessica enough to trust her. So I went first. She strapped this on and lubed me up and pounded my ass with it.

"And you know what? It fucking hurts. We were each in the same position, the one you caught us in, she used lots of lube and the muscle relaxant, and she took a good long time to prep me, but it still hurt. Yeah, this ends a lot smaller than anything Jessica's ever had inside her, but the vagina is better suited for penetration than the anus. Yes, the pleasure I experienced out rode the pain, but I haven't been able to sit down for more than thirty seconds all day. My ass hurts so much after last night. I can only imagine what Jessica's feeling and I feel terrible about it. She swears it doesn't hurt that much, but she has a higher pain tolerance than me. I know she won't admit it, but I know I caused her some pain. Maybe it was better for her than it was for me. I don't know, and I'll probably never really know."

Horatio continued to stare at the toy in Ryan's hand. So many things had been thrown at him he didn't know where to start with processing everything.

"Jessica used this thing," he quietly said, gesturing towards the toy in Ryan's hand, "On you. And you just let her do this?"

Ryan nodded his head. "Curiosity got the best of me," he quietly said. "I've heard anal sex is great so I wanted to try it. That meant I had to get the full experience and have something penetrate into me. Our choices were find a guy who was willing to help or pay for a battery powered good time. We went with the latter choice. We really didn't want to bring anyone else in anyways."

Horatio sighed and covered his eyes. He suddenly felt like such an ass.

"I'm sorry, Ryan," he whispered, "For everything. I'm sorry I accused you of hurting Jessica and taking advantage of her. I'm sorry I was so rude and mean to you all day. And I'm sorry you're in pain. I've been a real ass today…again."

Ryan smiled and tucked the toy away in the messenger bag and set it on the ground. He stepped forward and carefully wrapped his arms around Horatio's shoulders. Horatio hesitated but returned the hug.

"You just get too hot sometimes, H," Ryan whispered. "Please, try to listen to someone when they're trying to explain before you try blowing them up."

Horatio couldn't help but chuckle. "Marisol used to tell me the same thing everyday."

* * *

Ryan felt bare breasts press against his back as his muscles relaxed, just like they were supposed to. Her fingers were cold as she worked on stretching him and Ryan shuddered in pleasure as she swept her fingers against just the right spot.

"Right there," he whispered to her, "Do that again."

Jessica brushed her fingers against Ryan's prostate again and again and listened to her fiancé's small cries of pleasure.

"Am I doing better than last time?" she quietly asked as she added another finger, bringing her total up to four.

"Yes," Ryan gasped as he felt a jolt of pleasure, "Oh god, so much better."

"Are you sure about this?" Jessica asked as she slid the smaller end of the dildo inside herself.

"Yes Jessie," Ryan whispered, "I want to feel you pound my ass again. I'm not sure we did it right the first time. This feels so much better."

"You're not expecting me to spread for you, are you?" Jessica quietly asked as she snapped the buckles of the harness together with her one free hand.

"No, only if you wanted to would we try again. If you want to do it, then yes, we'll try again. But you said you didn't really care for me being buried inside you so we're not going to do it again unless you want it."

Jessica kissed along his spine and Ryan shuddered against the light sensation.

"Do you really want the bigger end this time?" she whispered as she began rubbing lube across the plastic toy.

"Yes, because it's only fair that I experience something like this," he whispered to her.

Jessica laid her head against his spine and wrapped her free arm around his torso. "We don't have to make it fair," she quietly said. "It's ok that I took something bigger."

"Yeah but that thing is really nothing compared to what I shove inside you on a daily basis."

Jessica chuckled and let her hair drag across his back as she lifted his head. "You know, the end I gave you last night is what is considered 'average size,' Mr. Hung like a Frickin Horse."

Ryan chuckled and pressed back against her fingers. "Ok, ok, I'll admit it, I know I'm bigger than average."

Jessica giggled lightly and kissed the back of his neck. "Good, finally admitting to what you've been denying all these years."

"I never denied it," Ryan chuckled, "I just never believed it."

Jessica slowly slid the toy inside Ryan as she carefully removed her fingers at the same time. Ryan gasped and his muscle clenched around the intrusion. Jessica worked slowly, trying to ensure comfort for her boyfriend. She just sat there when the dildo was completely buried inside Ryan's ass and let him adjust.

"Shit," he muttered, "that is huge."

Jessica giggled and wrapped her arms around his torso. "Gee, that sounds familiar."

Ryan chuckled and just stood propped on his knees, feeling his entrance pulsate.

"Turn it on," he quietly said after a moment.

Jessica pushed a button a few times and Ryan felt a vibration begin deep within him. It wasn't a constant vibrate, but rather a pulsating rhythm. Ryan moaned when Jessica started thrusting inside him. The dildo hit just the right spot every time and the pulsating of the vibrations felt incredible. It was so much better than the first time.

Jessica held his hips and moaned as the other end of the dildo pulsated inside herself. She reached a hand around his body and began gently stroking Ryan's hard member. Ryan moaned louder and grasped handfuls of bedding so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Please," he practically whispered, "Harder."

Jessica smiled against his back and began thrusting her hips harder against his backside. Ryan groaned and his erection began to leak as he grew closer to his release. It only took a few more minutes for Ryan to spill his seed across Jessica's hand. Jessica turned the vibrations down on his end as she slowed her thrusts, letting Ryan ride out his orgasm. She eventually pulled out of him and removed the dildo from her own body. They cuddled up together in bed and Ryan gently kissed her.

"Was that better this time?" Jessica whispered to him with a smile.

"Yes, much better," Ryan replied with a smile of his own. "I'm not sure we did it right my first time."

"Sorry you were the guinea pig," Jessica said as she caressed his cheek.

"It's ok," Ryan quietly said, "I would rather me be the one who experienced the pain than it be you. Your safety is more important to me than anything else."

Jessica buried her face against his neck and smiled. "Thank you," she whispered as they both silently drifted off to sleep.


	10. Terror in the Dark

**My sincerest apologies. There's been a lot going on in my life the last month. In return here's a chapter that in word doc is fifteen pages long.  
**

**Just a brief warning, there are torture scenes in this chapter. I don't get too graphic or intense (or at least I tried not to) because they make me edgy too.**

* * *

Terror in the Dark

* * *

Ryan fidgeted nervously in the dress boutique.

"When is she coming out?" he grumbled as he crossed his arms over his chest, trying not to pace.

Nick chuckled as he straightened his tie in the mirror once more. "She'll be out soon enough," he said in his Texas drawl. "It is a six thousand dollar dress."

"Six thousand dollars?!" Ryan exclaimed, "That's how much she paid?!"

"No," Horatio said as he walked out of his dressing room in his tuxedo, "Jessica didn't pay anything for the dress."

"You paid six thousand dollars?" Ryan asked, dread twisting his stomach into knots.

"I'm not telling if that rumor is true," Horatio said as he adjusted Ryan's blue vest under his jacket, always a father first.

"Yeah, because Jessica would flip a shit if she knew how much it cost," Greg chuckled as he tried to smooth down his hair.

Calleigh whistled as she walked out in her blue bridesmaid dress. "Damn, Jess picked a good color for y'all."

Ryan smiled and brushed something off the front of his tux. "Yeah, but she said we couldn't have white tuxedoes like I wanted."

"Why not?" Eric asked as he emerged from his dressing room. His eyes wandered across Calleigh's body before he darted them away.

"Because you don't put a redhead in a white tuxedo," Jessica's voice sounded. "It washes them out."

Everyone stopped and stared as Jessica emerged from the dressing room wearing her all white wedding gown. Natalia and Rachael helped fan out the dress's long train as she gracefully moved across the floor.

Ryan covered his mouth as tears began streaming down his face at the sight of his bride. He walked the short distance to her and held her face in his hands. He kissed her again and again as the tears fell faster.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered to her.

Jessica smiled and gently touched his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

"This is really happening," he whispered again. "We're finally getting married."

"After three years of breaking the rules we're finally making it official," Jessica smiled.

Ryan wrapped his arms around her and gently held her. "You were worth breaking every rule in the book there is," he whispered to her. "I'm so glad you agreed to watch that movie all those years ago."

Jessica smiled and kissed him gently. "Happy three year anniversary, Ryan," she whispered.

"And what an incredible three years it's been," Ryan quietly responded.

"Did you really think this was going to happen?" Jessica quietly asked him. "Did you really think you were going to break the rules to date the big boss's daughter who was your intern?"

"Oh god no," Ryan said with a laugh, "I thought I was just going to have to deal with my fantasies and imagination about what you were like. I thought I was going to be forced to stare at this ridiculously hot intern for nine months, just itching to know what you looked like under those expensive clothes you wore."

"They're not that expensive," Jessica playfully retorted. "I buy all my clothes on sale."

"Like you really need to," Horatio said with a roll of his eyes as he adjusted his tie in the mirror.

* * *

Heads turned and women stared as the dashing silver haired man walked through the crime lab, his younger partner completely unnoticed in comparison to him. He was old enough to be the father of many of the on lookers, but his good looks clearly had yet to fade.

Horatio smiled as the silver haired man approached him, a young agent flanked on his left side. He extended his hand and Horatio grasped it in his own.

"Special Agent Gibbs," Horatio said, shaking the man's hand, "How nice to see you again."

"Lieutenant Caine," Gibbs said, returning the smile, "It's been awhile. I'm still sorry about the whole teaching your daughter how to shoot a sniper rifle thing. I didn't know it was going to cause such a problem."

"What problem?" McGee inquired as he looked from his boss to the Miami Lieutenant.

"Oh nothing," Horatio said as he shook McGee's hand. "Jessica just went a little wild there with the sniper."

"What do you-" McGee began but then closed his mouth. "Never mind, I don't think I even want to know."

"So you have a dead Marine, Lieutenant?" Gibbs inquired as he followed the redhead through the crime lab.

"Yes, I'm sorry to say," Horatio said as he began filling Gibbs in on the case. "Found dead on a yacht with DC as his address on his dog tags."

"And that's why you called us in," Gibbs finished for him as they entered the morgue. He shook his head at the sight of the young man on the autopsy table. "It's a shame, he looks so young."

"Only twenty-two years old to be exact," Tom said as he continued extracting organs from the young Marine's torso. "Can you hold here while I try and cut this tendon, Jess?"

"Sure, Tom," Jessica said as she grasped the man's liver. She smiled at the young NCIS agent. "Hey McGee, good to see you."

"We've missed you, Jessica," McGee said with a smile.

"How's Abby?"

McGee blushed slightly and diverted his eyes. "She's good," he quietly said.

"And I don't know a thing," Gibbs dryly said as he looked over the young Marine's chart.

"Did you guys get the save the date card?" Jessica inquired as she placed the man's liver in a silver metal pan.

"Yeah, they all arrived together at our NCIS office," McGee said with a nod.

"Good, Ryan and I were trying to save a little time and money. It's kind of hard to find the address of four NCIS Special Agents when you're all unlisted."

"And for good reason," Gibbs commented as he leaned in close to the young victim's head. "Gunshot?"

"Yes, a .38 to the head at close range," Tom recited from memory, "Blew out his entire left temple."

"That's mean," Gibbs said as he straightened back up. "You got a primary scene, Caine?"

"Yes, a house over in the shipping district that was believed to be abandoned," Horatio said. "Would you like to go with Jessica and me to check it out?"

"Sure, sounds like fun," Gibbs said as he followed Horatio and Jessica out of the morgue. "You stay here with the dead guy, McGee. And don't start texting Abby now. I need you to find out as much about this guy as you can."

"Right, boss," McGee muttered as a blushed crept across his cheeks.

* * *

"Weird house," Gibbs commented as they walked through the upper floor. "Are all the houses in Miami like this?"

"No, most of them are a tad more normal," Horatio chuckled as he shined his flashlight around the room.

"Where did your daughter go?" Gibbs asked, looking around.

"Right here," Jessica said as her head popped out of a hidden opening in the ceiling.

"Now how did you get up there, Bug?" Horatio chuckled as he walked over to her.

"The ladder of course," she responded. Jessica's head disappeared and a ladder slid down out of the opening. "I think this is where the guy was shot," she explained as Horatio and Gibbs climbed into the small attic.

"Blood spatter and what looks like a bullet hole in the center of a mass of brains," Gibbs observed. "I'd say you're about right."

Jessica snapped a few pictures before she extracted the bullet and placed it in an evidence envelope. She was labeling it when something caught her ear.

"What was that?" she quietly asked.

"What was what, Jess?" Horatio asked in response.

"That noise." Jessica walked towards the opposite wall, slipping the evidence envelope into her pocket so she wouldn't forget about it. She placed her hand lightly on the wall and listened carefully.

The wall suddenly shifted and three men with horrible faces popped out. They grabbed at Jessica as she shrieked but she pulled away. They charged after the three forensic specialists as they turned to run.

Gibbs slammed his shoulder into another wall and the thin wood cracked under the force. All three jumped through and into another small, dark room.

"Through there!" Jessica exclaimed, pointing to a skylight in the ceiling.

"After you," Gibbs said, lifting her onto his shoulder.

Jessica popped the window open and crawled through. She reached back in and Gibbs grabbed her arms and she pulled him up while Horatio gave his legs a lift. Gibbs and Jessica reached in together and began pulling Horatio out when someone grabbed his legs.

They pulled together with all their might, but the three men over powered them. Horatio clawed at the roof tiles and the panic was evident in his eyes, as an animalistic growling voice emitted from beneath him.

"Jessica!" he screamed as the men pulled him back into the darkness.

"Daddy!" Jessica shrieked as her father disappeared from sight. A man grabbed the front of her shirt but Jessica grasped the frame of the skylight. She stared at long, gnarled nails on the hairy hand as she fought to stay outside. Gibbs wrapped his arms around her and pulled back as hard as he could. He knew there couldn't be more than one if they had Horatio. Jessica's shirt ripped as the man lost his grip. She and Gibbs stumbled backwards as the man disappeared from sight.

"Daddy!" Jessica screamed again, scurrying back towards the skylight.

"Jessica, don't!" Gibbs yelled, leaping to his feet and grabbing her.

"That's my father!" Jessica continued to scream.

"We can't let them get you, too!" Gibbs ordered. "Just relax, we'll get him back."

A hairy hand suddenly emerged from the open skylight and grabbed Gibbs's ankle. He fell to the ground as someone began dragging him back inside. Jessica dove and grabbed his wrists, holding on for dear life.

"Gibbs!" Jessica shrieked as she tried to pull him back.

"Run, Bug!" Gibbs screamed. "Go! Now!"

Jessica's bottom lip trembled and tears formed in her eyes as she released Gibbs from her shaking hands. His screams faded as he slid back inside the house and the skylight slammed shut.

* * *

She was wandering down the street. She wasn't really sure what had happened. She felt numb. She felt like she was going to be sick. She turned and vomited in the gutter, wiping bile from her mouth. She tried to remember what had happened, but it was all a blur. She watched as they disappeared into the darkness again and again, not really sure if it was what she actually saw.

A bronze colored Hummer slammed on its brakes next to where she knelt on her knees in the busy street of Miami. Several people leapt from the vehicle, yelling someone's name.

"Jessica!" the man with the olive colored skin kept saying. "Jessica, where are they? Where are Gibbs and Horatio?"

Her head pounded and her stomach rippled with acid. She turned away from him and vomited again, spitting blood as she did so.

The man gathered her in his arms and held her as she shook. Slowly everything became clearer and she finally understood.

"They took them," she whispered. "Those men took my father and Gibbs."

* * *

Ryan sighed in relief when he found Jessica sitting on a hospital bed, still dressed in her ripped shirt. Calleigh pulled it off over her head and neatly folded it before she placed it in an evidence bag. Ryan helped her pull the new shirt he had brought with him over her head. Jessica just stared at them as her head pounded from stress.

"Tell us what happened again, Jess," Calleigh quietly said as McGee came back into the room. "What did those men do?"

"They came after us," Jessica quietly said.

"Were they armed?" McGee gently prompted her.

Jessica slowly shook her head. "No, they weren't, but there was something about them that frightened me. I can't remember what though."

"Did they have any kind of weapon?" Calleigh asked.

"I don't think so," Jessica nearly whispered, "They just looked terrifying."

Calleigh looked at her when something caught her eye. She grabbed a pair of tweezers and grasped a long pale hair off of Jessica's leg. She held it up in the light and looked at it from different angles.

"What's that?" Ryan quietly asked.

"It's a hair," Calleigh said, "but it doesn't look human."

"Kind of looks like a cat hair," McGee commented.

"But it's too long," Calleigh said. She carefully placed the hair in an evidence envelope before she collected a few more off Jessica's jeans. "Long haired cats don't usually have hair longer than four inches, these are at least six."

"Looks like baby hair," Ryan observed. "You know, really fine and soft."

"Could be," Calleigh said, "but that would be really long hair on a little baby."

"Maybe some other kind of animal," McGee suggested. "Tom found hairs like that on the victim, too."

"Someone growled," Jessica suddenly said.

Calleigh looked at her confused. "Someone growled?"

"Yeah, when we were trying to escape," Jessica explained. "When they grabbed Horatio someone started growling, like a dog or a wolf. And they laughed, but it sounded kind of like a bark; really weird and throaty. It gave me chills."

"Why did you run?" Calleigh asked.

"I was scared," Jessica quietly said.

"You didn't think to draw your weapons?"

"No, I was terrified and just wanted to get away. They were frightening. There was something not right about them. They just plain scared me."

Ryan held her gently in his arms as Jessica began to shake. He whispered words of comfort to her and stroked her back.

"Something had to be wrong," Ryan whispered to the others. "Nothing scares Jessica, not even the thought of dying."

* * *

Gibbs groaned as he slowly awoke. His head was pounding and he had terrible vertigo. He tried to sit up but his hands were tied above his head and he was flat on his back.

"Gibbs?" a quiet voice said somewhere in the darkness.

"Caine?" Gibbs answered as he turned his head towards the source of the voice.

"Yeah, it's me," Horatio said.

"Do you know where we are?" Gibbs asked as he tried to resist the urge to vomit.

"Haven't the slightest clue," Horatio answered. "I've only been awake a few minutes. Where's Jessica?"

"She had better have ran away from that house like I told her," Gibbs said. He quickly turned onto his side and retched as the vertigo made his stomach churn. "Sorry, we're probably going to have to smell that for who knows how long."

"It's alright, I've been trying to fight the same thing."

"Concussion?"

"Feels like it."

Foot steps descending stairs silenced them as they continued to lay next to each other in the darkness. A large body approached them in the darkness as a lighter flicked on. It casts an eerie glow in the room but they still couldn't see the man holding it.

"Ah, Special Agent, Lieutenant, you're awake now," a frigid voice said, "So nice of you to join us."

Chills ran down Gibbs's spine. The voice wasn't frightening, but for some reason it freaked him out.

"Who are you?" he asked through a now dry throat.

"You don't know me, but you know my little brother." The man said, "First class Petty Officer Gary Thompson. I believe he's sitting in a cooler at the MDPD building. You wouldn't believe we're brothers. He doesn't look much like me and my twins. Let's just say he got the good looks in the family."

The flame from the lighter met the wick of a kerosene lamp and light began to fill the room. Chills ran down Gibbs's spine once again as the man's ghastly appearance came into view. His eyes were uneven and lopsided on his face, his teeth small and jagged, his body muscular and bulky, but what stood out the most was his hair. Covering his entire head, face, neck, and what was visible of his arms was a fine pale hair, almost transparent in color. He looked freakish, like something out of a horror movie. He looked inhuman.

"You see, Special Agent Gibbs, our brother Gary didn't have the bad luck my brothers and I had. He doesn't have the same genetic mutation as we do. He was the one mother flaunted around, showing off his good looks, making him a child model. She made sure everyone could see Gary's face. But what of Jeffrey, Austin, and Carlton? Nothing, not even a family picture. Mother didn't want anyone to know we existed. She destroyed everything, including our birth certificates. There's no evidence anywhere that we are real people. But then again, are we real?"

The man slowly turned and left the room, leaving Horatio and Gibbs alone once more.

They turned and looked at each other, dread running through their veins as they tried to breathe easily.

"What the hell was that?" Gibbs quietly asked.

"I don't know," Horatio whispered, "And I'm not sure I want to."

* * *

"I've got some interesting results," Natalia said as Calleigh and McGee entered the DNA lab. "The hair you collected isn't animal hair, its human."

"That was human hair?" McGee asked, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Yes, and it gets even freakier," Natalia continued. "Your hair was a genetic match to the dead Marine in Tom's morgue."

"Wait, back up," Calleigh interrupted. "That freaky hair belongs to the dead Marine?"

"No, but he shares a DNA sequence with it," Natalia said.

"Like those hairs came from someone he's related to?" McGee inquired.

"Yes and no," Natalia continued as she collected print outs off her table. "They belong to three different male someones he's related to."

"You mean like family?" Calleigh asked.

"Yes, brothers to be exact," Natalia said. "And to top if all off the owners of those hairs are a carrier of a very rare genetic mutation; congenital hypertrichosis universalis."

"Wait, what's congenital hypertrichosis universalis?" McGee asked, trying not to get lost in everything.

"Congenital hypertrichosis universalis is a condition where the carrier develops several animal like physical features." Natalia explained, "Usually large or tiny lopsided eyes, small, pointy teeth, like a dog's teeth, uneven and grisly facial features, and hair, lots and lots of very fine, light colored hair. It covers not only their head but their entire body. If not properly groomed and maintained it came get to be several inches in length, the longest recorded being about ten inches. It grows in super thick and as a result the person has a terrible body odor. Congenital hypertrichosis universalis is believed to be the originator of the legend of werewolves. Someone transforming into a wolf during the full moon is how they explained someone with this condition."

"But Horatio and Gibbs aren't at risk of catching this, are they?" McGee hesitantly asked.

Natalia couldn't help but chuckle. "No, McGee, the legends aren't true. They can't catch it by being bitten by a carrier."

"I bet that's why they killed him," Calleigh said. "The three brothers killed Petty Officer Thompson because they couldn't stand how successful he was while they were hidden in shame."

"Makes sense," McGee nodded.

"Hey guys," Walter said, poking his into the DNA lab, "We just got a call about Horatio and Gibbs."

* * *

"They want one million dollars for the safe return of just one but three million for both," Walter explained as he stopped the recording of the chilling man's voice.

"Well then let's just give it to them," Jessica said, the panic evident in her voice.

"We can't," Walter said, shaking his head, "Neither Dade County or Washington DC is willing to negotiate with terrorists. They won't pay up."

"But this is my father!" Jessica quietly hissed, "I don't even care what the President of the United States says! I want him and Gibbs back!"

"I'm sorry, Jess," Eric quietly said, "We're just going to have to figure something else out."

"Well what happens if we don't pay?" Jessica asked, tears forming in her eyes.

Walter was silent. He hadn't played that part of the tape. "They'll kill them both in six hours," he nearly whispered.

A pained noise escaped Jessica's throat. "Please," she whispered, "Can't we figure something out?"

"That's what we're going to do," Eric gently said to her. "We're not going to let them die."

Everyone dispersed back to their labs. Ryan hugged Jessica good-bye as he left to go pick up their son from his sister's house. Jessica paced the room, unable to think clearly. Her father was going to die if she didn't act quickly. She knew what she had to do, and she didn't care any longer if he knew.

Jessica grabbed Eric's arm and he looked into her pained eyes.

"Eric," she whispered, "I need you to go somewhere with me."

* * *

Horatio sighed and looked around the room.

"I spy something brown," he blandly said.

"Is it the grandfather clock in the corner?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, it is."

"This game's getting boring. When are they going to do something? Don't they usually do something when you're being held hostage?"

"I don't know, I've never been held hostage before."

"Oh, so we're having our first time together?"

"I guess you could say that, Gibbs."

"Ah, I think someone's coming."

Footsteps thudding down the stairs confirmed his suspicions. Another grotesque looking man came into the light of the kerosene lamp, smiling menacingly at them.

"How are you, Lieutenant, Special Agent?" he asked in his soft voice.

"Bored," Gibbs answered.

The man stared at him slightly baffled. "You're not frightened?"

"No, you're creepy looking but not scary," Gibbs said. "My arms hurt. Can we put them down now?"

The man's face contorted with anger. He growled as he leaned close to Gibbs's face.

"Please don't get your nasty slobber on me," he said. "That's always really gross."

"You think you're so much better than me," he growled. "You think that just because you're a Marine and good looking you're better than the low life scum."

"No, not really," Gibbs answered. "It's more like I know I'm better than you."

The man hissed and pulled back his fist. "What if I ruined your pretty face?"

"Go right ahead," Gibbs challenged him, "I personally don't think you have the balls to do it."

The man released an animalistic sound. He leaned back up and paced around them, hunched forward like an animal about to attack.

"You think that just because your faces are perfect you're better than everyone else!" he hissed. "You think your ideal looks, blue eyes, thick hair, strong jaws, and muscular bodies make you superior to men like me!"

"You're boring me again," Gibbs blandly retorted.

The man growled and hunched over Gibbs. "You wouldn't care if I ruined your face," he said in a whisper. He raised his foot, as if to stomp onto Gibbs's face.

Gibbs closed his eyes and braced for impact, only to be met by a crunching sound and Horatio crying out in pain. Gibbs's eyes snapped open and he turned to see Horatio rolling from side to side as blood ran down his face.

"What about his face?" the man whispered. "Do you care about his face?" He turned and thudded back up the steps. A door slammed loudly as the light flickered in the darkness.

Horatio gasped for air and rolled onto his left side. He coughed and blood ran from his mouth and nose as he tried not to choke. Tears streamed down his face from the impact as his body began to shake.

"Horatio," Gibbs whispered, rolling onto his right so he was facing the other man, "Oh god, no, Horatio."

"Gibbs," Horatio whispered, "Gibbs, it hurts."

"Just relax, Horatio," Gibbs instructed him. "I know you know what to do, but you need to relax. You can't let yourself go into shock."

"Gibbs," Horatio whimpered in pain, "Gibbs."

Gibbs scooted as close to the other man as his tied down arms would allow. He curled his body around Horatio's as he tried to keep him warm and conscious.

"I spy something blue," Gibbs whispered.

Horatio continued to gasp for air as he tried not to choke on his own blood. His sobs seemed to rip through Gibbs's chest, causing a greater pain than Gibbs had ever experienced.

"Is it the throw pillow on the couch?" he finally whispered.

Gibbs sighed in relief and pulled at the ropes keeping him in place.

"Yeah, it is," he whispered. "Do you want to play again?"

* * *

Eric followed Jessica as she walked into the Miami Dade Trust Bank. He stayed at her side as they stepped up to the counter.

"I need to withdraw three million dollars cash from savings," Jessica said to the teller, sliding her bank card, driver's license, and MDPD ID card across the counter. "This is an emergency situation, official MDPD business, and I need it as soon as possible."

"Is there a problem, Dr. Caine?" the teller inquired as she began typing.

"Yes, my father's being held hostage and the pigheaded government won't pay up," Jessica retorted as she glanced around the bank.

"Alright," the teller quietly said, "We'll be right out as soon as we can." She walked away and disappeared through a locked door.

Eric stared at Jessica in disbelief. "Jess, you didn't hack into someone's account and steal that money, did you?"

Jessica shook her head, trying to stop the shaking she felt deep within her. "No, it's my money."

"You have three million dollars just lying around?"

"No, it's safely secured in my account," Jessica quietly responded.

They stood there in silence for twenty minutes. The teller returned and handed Jessica a locked suitcase.

"Do you need an escort?" she politely asked.

"No thank you," Jessica quietly said, "We're good."

Eric and Jessica walked out into the bright Miami sun. They climbed into the MDPD Hummer and Eric took off down the road with the sirens and lights blaring.

"Jessica," Eric quietly said, "How much money do you have?"

Jessica was silent as she stared out the window.

"A lot," she finally answered. "A lot more than some people will ever make during their entire lifetime."

* * *

Horatio had finally stopped crying. He was no longer at risk of going into shock. Gibbs just laid there, their bodies still curled up together.

"Are you ok?" he whispered to the other man.

Horatio slowly nodded his head. "It just hurts a lot," he quietly answered. "I'll be fine though."

"I'm sorry he did that to you," Gibbs whispered. "I shouldn't have provoked him."

"You didn't know he was going to attack me," Horatio whispered in response. "I didn't even know until his foot came down on my face."

Gibbs continued to pull at the ropes around his wrists, trying to wriggle free.

"Gibbs," Horatio whispered, "I'm tired."

"Sleep, Caine," Gibbs whispered to him.

"What if they come back?"

"I'll keep watch. I won't let them hurt you again."

"Are you sure?"

"Hey, I'm a Marine," Gibbs said with a laugh. "It's part of the job; to protect others."

Horatio lightly chuckled and slowly closed his eyes. "I'm trusting you. I only have one face for them to screw up."

"Don't worry, we're going to get out of this," Gibbs whispered as he managed to pull one hand free. "But I'm still going to wake you up in roughly an hour."

"Why?" Horatio quietly asked.

"Because you still have a concussion," Gibbs answered as he worked on freeing his other hand.

"I always hated that rule," Horatio mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.

Gibbs sighed as he twisted his hand in the rope bindings.

"I'm sorry, Horatio," he whispered into the darkness.

* * *

"What do you mean you have the three million dollars?" Walter exclaimed as he followed Jessica and Eric into the layout room where everyone else was waiting for them.

"I mean just that, Walter," Jessica snapped. "I have three million dollars to pay off the ransom and get Special Agent Gibbs and Horatio back."

"Where the hell did you get three million dollars?" Walter continued to ask her.

"What does it matter as long as I have the money?" Jessica snapped at him again.

"Wait, you have the money?" McGee asked as he tuned into their conversation.

"Yes, now where do we need to take it?" Jessica asked him.

"Are you sure it's real?" Calleigh asked.

"Yes I'm sure; it came straight from the bank."

"What bank?" Walter asked.

"My bank, ok?" Jessica exclaimed, tired of being interrogated. "Can we please just find my father and Gibbs? I just want them back."

McGee sighed and shook his head as he stared at Jessica.

"Alright," he quietly said, "Let's try to contact them again."

* * *

Gibbs awoke to someone screaming. The sound ripped through the darkness and into the very core of his being. He suddenly realized Horatio was no longer curled against him.

His head shot up and he looked around the dimly lit room. Two of the grotesque men were holding Horatio down as the third stuck large gauge needles through the skin of his face. He inserted them under the first few layers and slid them along the muscles of Horatio's cheeks before they emerged through the surface again. Horatio screamed while the man continued to torture him, as he seemed to hit every nerve in his flesh.

"Please stop!" Horatio cried out as a needle barely managed to miss his left eye socket. "Please, it hurts!"

"That's the point, Lieutenant," the man sneered as he slid in another needle.

"Leave him alone!" Gibbs barked at them. "He's done nothing to you! I'm the one who pissed you off!"

The man gave Gibbs an evil smirk as he slid a needle through Horatio's bottom lip and into his top, sealing his mouth shut. Horatio's muffled cries grew louder as each needle ripped through his skin. The men laughed and walked away from Horatio's writhing body. Their feet thudded up the stairs and the door slammed once more.

Gibbs crawled over to his comrade and gently touched the side of his head.

"Caine," he quietly said, "You can't move, understand?"

Horatio managed to nod his head as tears streamed down his mutilated face.

Gibbs took a deep breath and slowly released it, trying to calm his nerves. He gently grasped the base of the needle going through Horatio's lips and carefully pulled it out. Horatio gasped for air as he continued to sob in pain.

"Just relax, Horatio," Gibbs whispered as he cautiously held a different needle. He slowly and delicately removed each of the twelve needles in Horatio's face.

He looked around the room and found a utility sink in the corner. He ripped a section of his button down shirt off the bottom and soaked it under the cool running water. Gibbs knelt beside Horatio and cautiously began cleaning his sensitive flesh. Horatio cried as the blood was washed from his face. Gibbs looked down at him. His skin was peppered with holes and scrapes as his cheeks began to swell slightly, not to mention both his eyes and nose were blackened from the break in his face.

"I'm so sorry, Horatio," Gibbs whispered as he cleaned off a new trail of blood from a needle hole that had began to bleed again.

"You fell asleep," Horatio choked out through his tears. "You promised me you would keep watch, but you fell asleep instead. You let them do this to me!"

Gibbs couldn't hold back the pain any longer. Tears welled in his eyes and quickly began crawling down his cheeks as he looked down at the injured Lieutenant.

"I'm sorry, Horatio," he quietly said again. "I'm a worse person than them."

* * *

Eric and McGee rode together in the MDPD Hummer to the drop location. It was getting late and the sun was slowly setting on the horizon. Eric's hand fidgeted nervously as he stared at the full moon in the purple sky.

"Everything's going to be ok," McGee quietly said. "We're going to get them back safely."

"You don't understand," Eric whispered, "Horatio's my brother. I can't let them hurt him. I love him too much."

"Horatio's your brother?" McGee questionably repeated.

"Well, brother-in-law, he married my sister a few years ago."

"I didn't know Lieutenant Caine was married."

"He's not anymore," Eric whispered, "He's a widower. Marisol was murdered not too long after they were married."

McGee's eyes grew huge with shock. "I'm so sorry, Eric," he whispered.

"Let's just get them back," Eric quietly said. "I hear Gibbs is the one who's going to walk Abby down the aisle to you someday."

McGee blushed and stared out the window. He watched as Eric stopped at the blue city mailbox. They climbed from the Hummer together and walked into the alleyway.

Standing there, waiting for them, was a frightening sight. A man stood hunched forward, breathing heavily. Light brown hair covered his entire head, neck, and bare upper torso. He smiled a menacing grin as Eric and McGee approached him.

"Delko and McGee," the man whispered in a light voice, "How nice of you to show up, even though you're three minutes late."

"Here's your money," Eric said, throwing the suitcase towards him. "Now where are Horatio and Gibbs?"

The man laughed and grabbed the suitcase.

"If you have to ask, you'll never know." He threw something at them and suddenly ran down the alleyway.

Eric took off after him, McGee following close behind him, stopping to grab the picture off the ground.

The man was impossibly fast, especially considering he was carrying a suitcase that weight at lest fifty pounds. He dodged through the darkness with a graceful ease and vanished before Eric's eyes.

Eric stopped and stared at where the man had escaped. He cursed loudly and slammed his hand against the brick building next to him. McGee slowed to a walk as he stopped next to Eric.

"He got away," McGee practically whispered.

"Yes!" Eric snapped, still silently cursing himself. "He tricked us! Now we're never going to find them!"

"Well this isn't going to make anything better," McGee muttered, holding out the crumpled picture.

Eric's heart spiked as he stared at the picture of Horatio's mutilated face. He had two black eyes, a jagged, purple nose, and several abrasions across his skin as large needles stuck in and out of his swollen skin.

"Fuck!" Eric exclaimed, his hands shaking as he shoved the picture back towards McGee. "What the hell have they done?!" Tears began crawling down Eric's face as an uncontrollable fear swept through him.

"Come on, Eric," McGee quietly said, "Let's get back to the lab and see if they can find anything out from this picture."

Eric sighed and tried to maintain control. He reached into his pocket and handed the keys to the Hummer to McGee, his hands still shaking.

"Ok," he nearly whispered, "but please don't let Jessica see that picture."

* * *

They were in the basement of a house; that much Gibbs could tell. Their hands were supposed to be tied to support beams, but Gibbs had managed to wriggle free long ago and untied Horatio's arms. They were no windows and the only doors led to the upper floor, where the three men were, and a crawlspace under the house. There was a utility sink in the corner with a washer and dryer. There were several other items just dispersed about the room; a grandfather clock, a couch with soiled blankets and pillows, a sewing machine, framed pictures, a dartboard, and other various yet useless items. There were a few lamps and light fixtures, but nothing worked.

"I didn't think houses in Florida had basements," he quietly commented as he walked around the room yet again.

"They usually don't," Horatio's weak voice sounded from where he laid curled up on the floor, the pain too much to move. "Basements flood when hurricanes come through so it became standard to avoid damage to not have anything below sea level. Besides, a room in the ground like this has a tendency to grow terrible mold."

"Doesn't smell moldy to me," Gibbs commented as he stared at a family portrait. It was of the young dead Marine in his uniform and an older man and woman.

"That doesn't mean they all grow mold," Horatio muttered, bitterness still evident in his voice.

"I'm sorry, Horatio," Gibbs whispered, "I shouldn't have fallen asleep."

"Fuck you," Horatio mumbled as he buried his battered face against his arm. His eyes were closed but the tears were still crawling down beneath his eyelids.

Gibbs sighed. He knelt to the ground and looked at the small door that led to the crawlspace. He quietly cracked the door open and looked inside. He couldn't see anything. He walked over to the cabinets by the utility sink and opened the one labeled "Emergency Kit." He looked through the out of date emergency supplies and tried a flashlight. Surprisingly it turned on. He walked back over to the crawlspace and shined the beam of light in. He let out a short, surprised scream and nearly lost his footing when he saw the two skeleton bodies.

"Don't scream, you dumb fuck," Horatio muttered. "Are you just trying to attract attention so they'll come back and gouge out my eyes?"

"No, there's two dead bodies in here," Gibbs said, trying to get a better look. "I'm going to guess a man and a woman, just judging by the clothes they're wearing."

"Whoop dee frickin doo," Horatio angrily mumbled

Gibbs tried not to let Horatio's bitterness affect him as he crawled into the crawlspace. He carefully inched around the dead bodies and farther into the dark depths of the ground. He stopped and examined a wooden wall, noting the hinges on one side. Gibbs pushed against the wall and it gave way under his weight. Street lights flooded into the room and Gibbs smiled with joy as he stared up at the Miami night sky. He clamored his way back through the crawlspace but stopped when he reached the doorway.

The three men were knelt around Horatio's weak body as the redhead cried out in pain once again.

"Where is he?!" the man with light brown hair and no shirt screamed as he dragged a knife across Horatio's chest.

Horatio screamed in agony as pain ripped through his body. He wriggled in place as he tried to escape the pain, but his body was too weak.

"I don't know!" Horatio's voice cracked as he yelled.

"There's only one way out of here, Lieutenant," the man continued to sneer in his face. "Tell us where he's hiding!"

"I don't know where he is!" Horatio screeched in pain as the man continued to slice into his skin.

"Austin," one man said, "The crawlspace!"

Gibbs turned and ran, hunched over in the tight space. He leapt through the open door and quickly shut it, trying to make as little noise as possible. He held his breath when he heard bodies moving somewhere below him, scrambling as they kicked bones and other debris.

"He's not here!"

"Where the hell could he have gone?!"

"Oh that man's going to get it now!"

Gibbs listened as the sound of footsteps faded away. Then he heard Horatio's muffled scream somewhere beneath the earth's surface.

Gibbs rushed through the crawlspace, no longer caring if he ruined the crime scene he had found. He burst back into the room just in time to find Horatio about to pull a knife from his back.

"Caine, no!" he yelled. He tripped and fell to the ground. He crawled the rest of the way and stopped Horatio from pulling the knife from his right side. "You can't pull it out, Horatio!"

"It hurts!" Horatio screamed, still trying to pull the knife free.

"Caine, you know as well as I do that if you pull that knife out you will bleed out! I know it hurts but you have to leave it there!"

Horatio continued to sob as his hand slowly slid away from the knife's hilt. Gibbs gently stroked along his spine, trying to soothe his pain.

"What's your daughter's favorite color?" Gibbs quietly asked him.

Horatio hiccupped as he tried to steady his breathing. "Purple," he whispered. "The first car I bought her I made sure it was purple. She didn't particularly care for that car, but she loved that I spent the time trying to find a used car that was purple, just for her." His breathing became more ragged as his heart hammered in his chest. "I only have one kidney," he whispered.

"Which side?" Gibbs inquired as his hands began wandering beneath Horatio's shirt across his back.

"I can't remember," Horatio said, his voice cracking with panic once more.

Gibbs sighed in relief when he felt the incision site scar next to the knife's hilt.

"I think you're going to be ok," he quietly said, resuming stroking Horatio's back once more. "I can feel the scar on your right side. He probably didn't hit anything."

Horatio's body began to shake. Gibbs touched his neck and felt how cold he was.

"No," he whispered, "Don't you dare go into shock, Caine."

Horatio was silent as the shaking became more violent.

"Caine, what happened to your other kidney?" Gibbs quickly asked him. "Why do you only have one?"

"I gave the other to my daughter," Horatio's weak voice sounded. "That bastard attacked her back when we were living in Chicago and she was going to die. So I gave her one of mine."

"What else?" Gibbs gently asked.

"A few pints of blood, probably ten or so over the years, and a section of my liver," Horatio recited as the shaking began to settle.

"Wow, so you're like a rag doll?" Gibbs jokingly asked. He was surprised when Horatio actually chuckled.

"Her mother used to call me her Raggedy Andy," Horatio quietly said. "The original mascot for her sorority was Raggedy Ann, before it was changed to the ladybug, and she called me her Raggedy Andy, because we were made for each other."

Gibbs smiled and gently stroked his hair. His forehead was so cold and clammy.

"I found a way out, Caine," he quietly said, "but I don't think I'm going to be able to move you until this shock has passed."

Horatio's body shuddered as his breathing hitched once again.

"You know what that means," Gibbs quietly said, "You need to stay in control. I know it hurts but if you go into shock you will die."

"It hurts, Gibbs," Horatio whispered.

"Just think of your children," Gibbs whispered. "Just think of Kyle and Jessica, and little Oliver. You don't want to leave this world before you get the chance to walk your daughter down the aisle to that weirdo Wolfe."

Horatio chuckled again as his breathing started to even out. Gibbs continued to stroke his head and back with his left hand as his right kept the knife firmly in place on his side.

"I'm still mad at you," Horatio quietly muttered.

Gibbs couldn't help but smile and chuckle lightly.

"Yeah, rightly so, too," he whispered.


	11. Shot in the Dark

Shot in the Dark

Jessica had hardly slept at all. She paced around her condo, scratching at where her skin crawled. She stopped and stared out the window at the city below. Somewhere out there in the darkness her father was hidden.

Her skin crawled again and the desire was almost unbearable. She wanted it so badly. She knew it would make her nerves relax and help her sleep. If only she could get her hands on it. Surely there had to be a dealer somewhere near by.

Ryan walked down the stairs and looked at his fiancée standing by the large windows in the living room. She was shaking and clawing lightly at her skin. He walked up behind her and gently placed his hands over hers.

"Jess," he whispered, "What are you doing?" He pulled one hand away and looked at the bright red streaks against his palms. "Jess, you're bleeding. What happened?"

"There's bugs under my skin," Jessica quietly said.

Ryan closed his eyes and held her hands firmly in place as he tried not to panic.

"Jess, there's nothing under your skin," he whispered. "It's all in your head."

"No, they're there!" Jessica snapped, trying to pull away from him. She stormed across the room, still scratching at her arms.

Ryan pulled out his phone. There was only one person who could help, but no one knew where he was. He dialed a different number and listened to the ring in his ear.

"Dr. Loman," a sleepy male voice sounded on the other end.

"Tom," Ryan whispered, "I have a problem and I need help."

"Ryan, what's wrong?" Tom inquired, now wide awake.

"I think Jess is relapsing."

* * *

Horatio's breathing was slow and steady as he stared at the floor from where he laid on the ground. There was a pulsating sensation in his side where the knife was pierced through his skin. Gibbs's hand continued to stroke over his hair and down his back.

"Something's wrong," Horatio whispered.

"What is it?" Gibbs quietly asked.

"Something's wrong with my baby," Horatio continued to whisper. "Something's wrong with my Jessica."

* * *

Jessica laid on the couch motionless as Tom injected something into her arm. She stared off into space as her heart began to slow down and her skin quit crawling.

"All these years later and she still had a relapse from heroin," Tom said, shaking his head as he bandage the injection sight.

"Well it was three years ago when James kidnapped her," Ryan quietly said. "Do you think that had an effect?"

"Probably, that and stress," Tom said as he began packing his things up in his bag.

"That's not going to hurt her, is it?" Ryan inquired, looking at the vial in Tom's hand.

"No, it's not heroin; a sedative that has the same effect and calms the craving. She should be fine, but if she relapses again call me and I'll give her another injection, but only if she really needs it. I don't want this to become something that controls her life."

"Daddy," Jessica suddenly whispered in an almost inaudible voice.

Ryan knelt beside her and gently stroked her hair.

"Everything's going to be alright, Jessie," he whispered. "We're going to find them."

* * *

The men kicked at Horatio as he gasped for air. They managed to miss the knife sticking out of his side but their blows still hurt.

"Where is he?!"

"Where did he go?!"

"Tell us now!"

Horatio was silent as they continued to pound their feet against him. Gibbs could only silently watch from where he hid beneath the couch, his chest hurting just at the mere sight of the other man in pain.

They finally stopped and looked down at him. One man stomped onto Horatio's groin and he gasped in pain, clutching at the source of the pain. They laughed as they walked out of the room.

Gibbs slid out from under the couch and rushed to the cabinet with the emergency kit. He activated the ancient looking ice pack and knelt beside Horatio. He carefully placed it against his groin and Horatio whimpered in pain.

"It's ok, Caine," he whispered in his soothing voice. "It's going to hurt for awhile but the pain will go away."

"Gibbs," Horatio's straggled voice sounded.

"Caine, you have to relax," Gibbs continued to say. "I need you to calm down so I can get us out of here."

The shaking of Horatio's body began to subside and he breathed easier.

"Who's your favorite singer?" Gibbs asked him. "When you're all alone in your house, what album do you put on and rock out to and dance like no one's looking?"

Horatio continued to struggle for air as he felt his nerves slowly calm. "I like Sting," he whispered.

"What's your favorite album by Sting?" Gibbs inquired, adjusting the ice pack's position.

"If on a Winter's Night," Horatio's weak voice said.

"If on a Winter's Night?" Gibbs said with a chuckle. "Caine, that's a Christmas album."

"I like Christmas music," Horatio quietly said.

Gibbs couldn't help but chuckle as he stroked Horatio's back and head once more.

"The tough as nails Lieutenant Horatio Caine likes to listen to Christmas music," he said with a light laugh. "I would have never guessed."

* * *

Ryan's fingers flew across the keyboard as he worked on the picture. He stopped and felt himself shuddered at the sight of Horatio's ghastly appearance.

"It's real," he quietly explained to Calleigh and McGee. "There doesn't appear to be any photo shopping or alterations."

"What about the paper?" Calleigh inquired.

"Pretty standard photo paper," Ryan explained, picking up the original copy of the picture. "You could get this crap just about anywhere." Tears suddenly formed in his eyes and his bottom lip quivered.

Calleigh gently grasped his shoulders and massaged them. "Ryan, do you need to recluse yourself from the case?"

Ryan shook his head as he tried to fight back the tears as he rubbed his eyes with his left hand. "I want to work this case. I want to find Horatio and Gibbs."

"But are you going to be able to handle this?" Calleigh gently asked.

"I don't know," Ryan whispered, "I really don't know anymore."

* * *

"You promised me you would return them if we paid the ransom," Walter argued with the man on the phone again. "We paid up so now you need to hold up your end of the deal."

"I never said you could have them back right away," the man's quiet voice said in the receiver. "Besides, one of them got away. The Special Agent is missing and the Lieutenant won't tell where he's gone."

Walter sat there confused, trying to process what he just said. "Gibbs is missing?"

"Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs from the Naval Criminal Investigation Service from Washington DC is MIA. And now Lieutenant Horatio Caine from the Miami Dade Police Department Crime Lab is going to pay."

The line clicked and Walter was left dreading the worse.

* * *

"So they're not going to return them," Jessica repeated as she paced the layout room. "What do they want? More money? I can pay them as much as they want. I have plenty of it. I don't have a price limit on the life of my father."

"Jess," Ryan whispered, gently grasping her shoulders, "Relax, we're going to figure this out."

"You keep saying that, Ryan," Jessica hissed, pulling from his grasp, "but we haven't found them." She spun on her heels and glared at him. "In kidnapping cases we have to assume that if the victim isn't found within the first twenty-four hours that they're dead! My father is most likely dead and you keep saying we're going to find them! Yeah, we're going to find them, but they'll be a shallow grave by then!"

"Jessica," Ryan said, stepping forward, "Please just try to remain calm. You know panicking like this isn't going to solve anything. Come on, let's go for a walk, it'll help clear your head."

Tears began streaming down Jessica's face. She looked at Ryan's out stretched hand for a moment before she silently slipped hers into his.

They walked down the sidewalk in the bright sun, their fingers intertwined and palms pressed together. Ryan leaned over and kissed her temple.

"We can do this," he whispered, "because we're stronger than them. Horatio's stronger than them."

"I just wish I knew," Jessica whispered.

They continued on in silence, the only sound the rumble of cars driving down the street.

"Want to know a secret?" Ryan whispered to her.

Jessica hesitated but silently nodded her head.

"Sometimes when I'm home alone I put on my wedding band and I imagine we're already married," Ryan quietly said. "Sometimes I even wear it when I'm out in public. And when people compliment me on it I happily tell them I'm married to the woman of my dreams. I stare at it all day, and then, just before you get home, I take it off and tuck it away with yours, like nothing ever happened."

Jessica smiled. She stopped and pulled him into her arms and just held him.

"We're going to find him," Ryan whispered in her ear. "We're going to find Horatio because I think Uncle Ron would get lost halfway if he had to walk you down the aisle to me on our wedding day."

Jessica couldn't help but chuckle. She kissed where his pulse beat and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

"And I don't think I want anyone else to give me away on my wedding day besides my Daddy," she whispered.

* * *

Horatio laid on his left side. His breathing was labored, but he knew if he gave up he would die, and he wasn't ready to leave this world. Gibbs gently stroked his hair. Horatio could see the sorrow in his eyes.

"Why won't you tell them?" Gibbs whispered to him.

Horatio looked at him with hazy eyes. "Because if I do," he whispered, gasping for air, "they'll kill you, too."

Thundering footsteps on the stairs meant Gibbs had to hide again. He ducked behind the sofa end table and peered over the top.

One of the men walked into the room. He smiled an eerie grin at the sight of Horatio. He placed his hands on Horatio's hips and Gibbs watched Horatio recoil in disgust.

"Come on, Lieutenant," he said in his whispery voice, "I know what things are like at boot camp. Gary told me what they did at the boot camp up in Virginia."

The man began fiddling with Horatio's belt buckle. Horatio weakly batted at his hand, unable to really move or fight. The man slapped Horatio's hand away as he began yanking Horatio's pants off.

"Oh hell no!" Gibbs snapped. He sprung up from where he was hidden behind the end table and leapt over the table. He grabbed the heavy brass lamp on the table and swung at the man. There was a loud crack noise as the base of the lamp made contact with the man's skull. His body slumped to the ground as blood began to trickle from his scalp.

Gibbs pulled Horatio's pants back into place and gathered his body into his arms.

"Sorry, Caine," he said as he ducked into the crawlspace, "but I'm not waiting any longer for you to calm down again. We're getting the hell out of here."

* * *

Eric rushed from lab to lab, trying to keep busy as they continued their search for Horatio and Gibbs into the second night. It had been almost two days since they were captured and there was still no sight of them.

"We have absolutely no leads," Eric angrily said as he joined the rest of the team in the layout room.

"We're trying, Eric," Calleigh said, her voice weak. Eric looked at her. She had dark circles under her eyes and she seemed frazzled. "There's nothing more we can do with what we've got. I think it's time we came to the realization that we may never find them."

Eric's chest tightened at her words. "We can't," he whispered, "We just can't give up hope yet."

"But we're running out of resources," McGee said in an exhausted voice. "We have nothing that will help us move forward from this point. Unless something crazy extraordinary happens, then this is it. We can't make something out of nothing, Eric. I'm sorry, and as much as it pains me to say, I'm not sure we're ever going to find them."

"Fine," Eric hissed, "but you guys have to tell Jess."

* * *

Jessica and Ryan were lying together on the couch in Horatio's office. Jessica held one of Horatio's lab coats tightly against her chest. She pressed it to her nose and inhaled the scent of her father as tears welled in her eyes again.

Calleigh and McGee appeared in the doorway. They stood there silently and just looked at the young lovers.

"Jess," Calleigh finally said, "We need to talk to you."

Jessica turned her head and looked at them. She turned away when she could sense their dread.

Ryan leaned in and gently kissed her. "Do you want me to stay with you?" he whispered.

Jessica slowly shook her head. "Someone needs to pick up Oliver before Uncle Ron starts teaching him how to swear in ASL."

Ryan smiled and kissed her again. "Ok, I'll be back in about an hour to pick you up. Just call me if you need anything."

"Ok," she whispered.

"I love you," Ryan quietly said to her.

"I love you, too," Jessica whispered in response.

Ryan stood and walked out the door, knowing exactly what Calleigh and McGee were going to tell Jessica.

Calleigh sat next to Jessica on the couch. She smoothed out the lab coat and read the name "Lieutenant H. Caine" embroidered over the left breast pocket.

"Jessica, I think it's time we discuss a very real possibility," Calleigh quietly said in her gentle voice.

Jessica began to shake as tears crawled down her face. "Please," she whispered, "No."

"I'm sorry, Jess," Calleigh whispered, "but I think it's time we assumed the worse."

Jessica doubled over, resting her forehead against her thighs.

"Please," she said in a voice so soft Calleigh thought she imagined it. "Please, no."

* * *

Gibbs struggled slightly under Horatio's weight as he carried him through the ragged neighborhood. It seemed all the houses were falling down or just barely standing. The sun was setting and Gibbs walked in its fading glow. He was weak and tired, but he had to keep moving. He didn't know where he was, but he knew he just had to find someone. He needed to get Horatio to the hospital.

He wandered through an alley and the street opened up to a more civilized looking area. He stopped and leaned against a blue city mailbox, trying to catch his breath and maintain his strength. Horatio groaned in his arms and Gibbs tightened his grip. His arms ached and his back strained under the effort. Horatio was the same size as Gibbs, making it difficult for the older man to carry him. But Horatio was far too weak. He could hardly breathe on his own.

"Caine," Gibbs said as he caught his breath once more, "If you could be any animal in the world what would you be?"

Horatio was silent in Gibbs's arms. Gibbs looked down at his glazed over eyes.

"Come on, Caine!" Gibbs roughly ordered, "Talk to me! Don't give up on me now! What animal are you?"

"I'd be a white rhino," Horatio softly whispered. "Because they're an endangered species, strong yet graceful, and have a caring, paternal side." He was silent for a moment as he blinked in the bright light before his eyes drifted shut again. "And I'd be able to beat the fuck out of those hairy bastards."

Gibbs chuckled lightly and suddenly felt a second wind of strength flood through him. He began slowly walking down the sidewalk, hoping someone would see them and stop.

* * *

Ryan sighed and turned down the crappy looking street. There was construction on his normal route so he had to take a detour through a shady looking part of town. He didn't particularly like the looks of it, especially with his young son in the backseat, but it was better than driving two hours out of the way to get back to the lab.

He shook his head at the sight of the scruffy looking man and tried to veer farther away from him. He was probably homeless, and, going by the way he was limping, probably sick or injured. Ryan had learned through his years in law enforcement that no matter what he should never stop to help someone like that, even if it sounded cruel.

Ryan hit his brakes when he got a better look at the man. He was carrying something in his arms. It was another man, with red hair.

Ryan put the car in park and ran towards the man. Gibbs looked at him with his worn, dirty face.

"Wolfe," he whispered.

"Oh my god, Gibbs," Ryan said, rushing to him. He gasped and looked down at the sight of Horatio in his arms. "Oh god, Horatio!"

"We need to get him to the hospital," Gibbs said through his dry, scratchy throat. "He's injured, and badly, too."

Horatio's head turned and he looked up at Ryan.

"Ryan…" he said in an almost inaudible voice.

"Come on!" Ryan exclaimed, running towards his car. He opened the passenger door and helped Gibbs lower Horatio onto the seat. Ryan jumped into the driver seat while Gibbs climbed into the backseat with Oliver.

Ryan hit the accelerator and sped off down the street. He pulled out his phone and dialed.

"Dispatch, this is CSI Wolfe. I have an injured officer who needs immediate medical attention! Requesting a police escort to meet me at the corner of County Road and Palm Avenue!"

"_Copy that CSI Wolfe, Officer Davidson will be waiting for you."_

"Ten-four," Ryan muttered as he hung up his phone. He watched as almost immediately a police cruiser pulled out in front of him. His lights and sirens cut through the late Miami evening, bringing hope once again to Ryan's heart.

* * *

"Wait," Jessica said, standing from the couch, "What did that just say?" She walked over to the police scanner on the table behind Horatio's desk. She grabbed the receiver and held it to her mouth. "Dispatch, this is CSI J. Caine, can you repeat that last transmission?"

"_Copy, CSI Caine, repeating. CSI Wolfe is requesting a police escort for an injured officer seeking immediate medical attention. Officer Davidson is responding."_

Jessica stood there silently for a moment, her heart hammering in her chest. She dropped the receiver to the floor and ran from the room.

"_CSI Caine, do you copy? CSI Caine?"_

Calleigh and McGee stared at each other in silence. McGee slowly stood from where he sat on the couch and crossed the room. He grabbed the receiver and answered for her.

"Ten-four, we copied. Can you tell us the name of the injured officer?"

"_Negative, CSI Wolfe didn't say."_

McGee swallowed hard as his nerves started to buzz. He looked at Calleigh. The expression on her face probably wasn't much different then his own. Hope and fear.

"Ten-four," he quietly responded.

* * *

The sirens pierced through the quiet, empty streets as Jessica sped down the street in her Hummer. What few cars were out pulled off to the side, making room for her large police vehicle. She pushed down on the accelerator, forcing the Hummer to go faster. She grew impatient when she ran into construction yet again. This time, though, she clattered over their deserted work areas, demolishing many of their tools and supplies.

She pulled into the hospital parking lot and stopped the Hummer in the emergency vehicle section. She threw the keys at the parking attendant, ordering him to only move it if necessary. She skidded into the reception desk and looked at the nurses with a frenzied gaze.

"Where's the injured officer CSI Wolfe brought in?" she demanded.

The nurse looked at her confused. "We haven't had an injured officer come in, ma'am."

Jessica slammed the leather wallet holding her credentials and flat badge onto the desk. "I _need_ to know where the injured officer is!" she yelled.

"Officer Caine, I'm telling you, we haven't had an injured officer tonight," the nurse snipped at her.

Jessica growled in frustration and turned away from the desk. She stuffed her wallet back into her back pocket and turned towards the door, intending to call dispatch.

She recognized the red Venza as it screeched to a halt at the entrance to the emergency room. The doors glided open as Special Agent Gibbs ran into the building, with Ryan by his side and Horatio in his arms.

"Daddy!" Jessica shrieked as she ran towards them. A nurse stopped her and held her back as ER workers clattered through with a gurney and hauled Horatio away. "Daddy!" Jessica screamed as tears poured down her face.

More nurses and physicians helped Gibbs onto a gurney and started to roll him away, but he stopped them. He reached out and took Jessica's hand in his own.

"He's alive," he gasped, the pain evident on his face. "He's alive, Jessica."

Tears poured down Jessica's face. She bit her bottom lip and nodded her head in response, words too heavy for her.

The nurses pushed Gibbs away and Jessica was left standing alone with the strange nurse's arms still wrapped around her. She looked at the woman and shoved her off.

Ryan was suddenly at her side, wrapping his arms around her slender body as she began to shake violently.

"He's alive," he whispered.

"Where did you find them?" Jessica quietly asked.

"County Road," Ryan answered.

"That's the same place as the drop off sight," Jessica said. "That means they weren't that far away from Eric and McGee yesterday."

Ryan nodded his head and buried his face into her hair. "Yeah," he quietly said. "We found them, Jess. They're both alive. We found them."

"Um, excuse me, Officer Wolfe?"

Ryan turned and looked at the parking attendant standing just inside the doorway. He was holding a car seat with Oliver sitting quietly in it.

"Ah fuck, I forgot my baby!" Ryan exclaimed as he rushed over to the attendant.


	12. A Light in the Dark

**Gibbs is so naughty.**

* * *

A Light in the Dark

* * *

Gibbs groaned where he laid in his hospital bed. He was in a back brace and lying flat on his back, ordered not to move for at least twenty-four hours.

"This sucks," he muttered.

"Better than what you had," a woman's voice said.

Gibbs turned his head and smiled at the sight of Jessica Caine and her young son in her arms. She walked in and sat next to his bed. She reached out with a shaking hand and gently touched his face. She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Gibbs," she quietly said, "You saved my father's life."

Gibbs grimaced at her as his eyes began to grow heavy once again. "I'm the reason he's hurt," he whispered. "I pissed off the wolf men and they started torturing him. They knew watching Horatio suffer would cause me a greater pain than if they tortured me."

Jessica gently stroked his cheek and looked into his blue eyes.

"I want to say its ok, but I can't," she quietly said. "I want to tell you this isn't your fault but it's so hard. I'm not angry with you, Agent Gibbs. I'm just angry with the situation. And I know nothing's going to feel ok until we catch the three men who did this to you and my father."

"Well if it makes you feel better I think I can say you only have two men to look for now," Gibbs said in his wry voice.

"Why's that?" Jessica asked as Oliver slowly crawled from her lap and onto Gibbs's chest.

Gibbs smiled at the small boy as he curled up on top of him, placing his hand flat over his heart. He looked back at Jessica with a worn expression.

"Because I'm pretty sure I killed one," he quietly said.

* * *

Horatio's head hurt. No, everything hurt. There wasn't an inch of his body that wasn't in pain. He couldn't open his eyes to find the control pad to call the nurse. He just didn't have the strength.

Someone silently walked into the room, but Horatio couldn't tell who it was. Then when they were standing right next to his bed he recognized the way she sounded when she cried. The feel of her body curling up along aide his and her unique scent warmed his heart, as he felt a second, smaller body curl up atop his chest.

"Hello Bug," he whispered through his dry throat.

Almost as if she knew what he was thinking, a hand was placed behind his head and lifted him up. A cup was placed against his lips and he slowly drank the cool water down, draining the cup completely. She gently settled his head back on the pillow and she curled back up against him.

"How have you been, Jessie Bug?" he quietly asked as his hands wandered across her back, feeling every part of her strong body. He smiled weakly when he felt the tiny body lying next to her, her arm wrapped around him.

"Worried sick," Jessica whispered. "I was terrified."

"Well I'm back now," Horatio quietly said, still stroking her back though his arms ached. "So stop worrying."

Jessica propped herself up on her arms. She looked down at her father. His face was swollen and covered in small lacerations. His nose was bandaged in a brace, having finally been reset. He had dark bruises around both eyes and across his damaged cheek bones, and no doubt more bruising on his nose. She touched the neck of his hospital gown and looked at a large laceration that ran across his chest along with several others. She leaned back on her heels and continued to explore his injured body. She lifted the bottom of his gown and looked at his battered groin, bruised and swollen, a few stitches holding his scrotum together where the force of one man's foot tore the delicate skin open.

She smoothed the fabric back in place and covered him with a blanket. She laid back down with her head on his chest as the tears began to stream down her face.

"Oh Jessie Bug," Horatio whispered, "Don't cry. I'm going to be just fine."

"They almost killed you," Jessica whispered against his chest. "They were going to kill you, even though I paid them. They were still going to kill you."

"But they didn't," Horatio said in a soothing voice as he began stroking her back. Oliver whimpered and Horatio smiled to himself as he began stroking his grandson's back, understanding each of Oliver's funny little noises. "They didn't kill me because of dumb luck," Horatio continued. "Ryan just happened to be driving by at the exact moment Gibbs emerged from the alley and was walking down the street with me in his arms. Pure, stupid, dumb luck."

Jessica smiled and nuzzled her face against his neck. She lightly kissed the only patch of skin that seemed to be unharmed.

"Gibbs helped save you, too," she whispered. "I know you're angry with him because he provoked them so the men took their anger out on you, but he did find a way out even those dumb bastards didn't know about. He carried you for who knows how long until Ryan found the two of you. He protected you the best he could, Daddy."

Horatio was silent for a long time. Jessica thought he had fallen back asleep when he softly spoke again.

"He tried to rape me. One of the men tried to rape me. He came downstairs and was touching me and tried to pull my pants off. I knew what he was going to do, but I was too weak to fight. Gibbs yelled something at him and hit him with a lamp. I think he might have killed him. Then he picked me up and carried me out through the crawlspace."

Jessica was silent with shock as she listened to Horatio's story. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and just held him. Oliver crawled up his chest and wrapped his tiny arms around his grandfather's neck. Horatio smiled and placed a hand on both of their backs. Though he knew Oliver didn't know what exactly was going, the small child knew enough to understand he should be happy that his grandfather was alive.

* * *

Gibbs hummed to himself as he rolled his wheelchair down the hospital hallway. It seemed luck was on his side when he discovered the hall was empty. He rolled into the men's restroom and wheeled himself over to a urinal, glad he had decided to remove the catheter himself. After he finished, he washed his hands and resumed his journey down the hall. He had some difficulty reading the names on the doors, since they were so high up, but he finally found the one he was looking for. The door was locked but he quickly tripped the lock using a bobby pin he stole off the nurse's head.

He quietly rolled inside and looked at the battered man sleeping in the hospital bed. Gibbs wouldn't have recognized him if it wasn't for his red hair. He rolled his wheelchair next to the bed and waited.

* * *

Horatio's head was pounding again. It seemed every few hours he would wake up with a pounding headache. He just wished it would stop. It was getting old and fast.

He could hear someone else in the room. Had he not just spent two days curled up around his body, Horatio would have never recognized the sound of his breathing. He struggled to open his eyes and turned his head towards the other man.

"Hey," Gibbs whispered to him, offering a small smile.

Horatio looked at him, unable to return the friendly gesture.

"Do you want me to call the nurse?" Gibbs quietly asked him.

Horatio hesitated but shook his head. "No," he whispered, "I just want to talk to you alone without them hauling you away."

Gibbs smiled at him again. "Do you want to sit up?"

"Yeah, I think that would be nice."

Gibbs pressed the button and Horatio's bed slowly began to rise. When he was completely upright, Gibbs picked up a cup from the bedside table.

"You thirsty?" he asked, holding out the cup.

"Yeah," Horatio whispered in response.

Gibbs did his best to help Horatio drink the water, the back brace making it difficult to do so.

"What happened to you?" Horatio asked as Gibbs settled back into his wheelchair.

"I cracked a vertebra," Gibbs explained. "Alexx says it probably happened when they pulled me back into the house through the skylight, and carrying you around didn't really help anything."

"Can you walk?"

"Oh I can walk just fine," Gibbs said with a light chuckle, "but it kind of hurts after awhile. I think I made it about twenty feet before I found a wheelchair. Then I wheeled the rest of the way here."

"Where are you staying?"

"Third floor, next to the old folks. I think they're trying to tell me something."

Horatio couldn't help but laugh.

"I think it's more like that's where the spinal expert is. That's why they have you there."

"No, I think they're saying I'm old."

Horatio laughed again and a smile finally crept across his face. He looked at the NCIS Agent and smiled.

"I forgive you, Gibbs," he quietly said. "It's not your fault they beat me. I just felt so betrayed when you fell asleep."

"To be honest, Caine, I don't remember falling asleep," Gibbs quietly said. "I remember one minute lying there with you and then the room started spinning again."

"You passed out," Horatio said.

Gibbs nodded his head. "Yeah, I think so. I was trying so hard to stay awake and then the next thing I knew you were screaming in pain."

Horatio looked at him, his blue eyes swirled with conflicting emotions.

Ryan walked into the room and sighed at the sight of Horatio awake.

"H," he whispered as he walked over to him. He carefully wrapped his arms around Horatio's sore body and just held him. "Oh god, Horatio, I didn't know if you were going to make it."

Horatio smiled and hugged the young man. "You got us here just in time," he quietly said.

Ryan gently kissed Horatio's cheek and held him a little tighter. It was a gesture Ryan had never done before.

"I'm just glad you're alive, Dad," he quietly said. "I don't know what would have happened if…" Ryan's chest tightened at the thought of the alternative.

"It's ok, Ryan," Horatio soothingly whispered. "I'm ok, everything's going to be just fine."

Ryan kissed Horatio's cheek again, letting his forehead lean against the side of his head for a moment before he straightened back up.

"I have to go," he quietly said. "I'm between scenes right now and I just wanted to stop in and check on you."

"Are you super busy right now?" Horatio inquired.

"Well the rest of the team and McGee are working on the thieving wolf men case, but Jess and I are getting called out to every other scene. The chief doesn't want us working on your case, conflict of interest."

"I see, makes sense," Horatio said.

Ryan reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently before he let go.

"I love you, Dad," he quietly said as he took a step back.

Horatio smiled brightly. Ryan had never said those words to him before.

"I love you, too, Ryan," Horatio quietly responded.

Ryan smiled at him one last time before he turned and left the room. Horatio continued to smile as he leaned back into his pillows, watching Ryan walk away.

"That's a fine son-in-law you have, Caine," Gibbs commented.

Horatio turned and looked at him. "Only the best for my little Bug," he quietly said.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs!" Alexx snapped as she burst through the door. "What the hell are you doing in here?!"

"Oh shit, got caught," Gibbs said as Alexx grabbed the handles of his wheelchair and pulled him away. "It was nice talking to you again, Caine. I'm really sorry about this whole thing."

"It's alright, Gibbs," Horatio called after him. "Next time tell me how you escaped."

"Will do!" Gibbs yelled over his shoulder as Alexx pushed him away.

* * *

Horatio sighed as he woke up once again. He was beginning to have troubles differentiating between being awake and sleeping. He knew Gibbs had really snuck up three floors to visit him and Alexx dragged him away. Word in the wings was he had tried again but was unsuccessful.

Horatio sighed again and stared out the window. He had dreamt of his wife. Now he missed her more than ever.

Someone walked in and for a moment Horatio didn't recognize her. He smiled when the redheaded woman came closer to his bed.

"Dr. Friedman," he said as he straightened up, "What brings you to the states?"

"Dress fitting," Sami Friedman said with a smile and hug. "I know nine months is a long time, but Jess said it would be better to get a size now and then when I fly in two weeks before the wedding I can get it fit once more. The boutique didn't really like the idea, but I guess they'll make exceptions when the maid of honor lives in a different country."

Horatio smiled at her, noting the slight German accent that had developed over the years of living in Germany.

"It's good to see you, Samantha," he quietly said. He flinched and his hand flew to his groin. "Damn it," he muttered, "I'm sorry, Sami, I think I need to call the nurse."

"Not a problem," Sami said, "Do you want me to leave?"

"No, don't worry about it," Horatio said as he pushed a button and a nurse appeared. "I'm sure you've seen a penis before."

"Alright Lieutenant," the nurse said as she pulled on her gloves, "What's the problem?"

"My scrotum hurts," Horatio said. "Make it stop."

The nurse chuckled at Horatio's comment. She pulled the blanket off and looked under Horatio's gown.

"Well everything looks fine," she said as her hand wandered across his skin. "It might just be aching from healing. You had some nasty injuries, Lieutenant. I can turn the morphine up a little if you'd like."

"No, just something to make the pain stop," Horatio muttered. "I don't like having sore nuts."

The nurse chuckled again and smoothed his gown back out. "Let me get you a topical for that," she explained. "I don't think more morphine in your system would do you any good but I can isolate the pain killers if you'd like."

"Anything right now to make it stop," Horatio groaned.

They were alone for a moment while the nurse fetched her supplies. She returned quickly with a needle and injected Horatio beneath the cover of his gown.

"I don't like that either," Horatio said, squirming after the injection.

"Give it a moment and the pain will stop," the nurse explained. "If nothing happens in twenty minutes call me back."

Horatio sighed and tried to not show how much pain he was in. He gave Sami a weak smile as he tried to relax.

"They hurt you badly, didn't they?" Sami quietly asked.

Horatio nodded his head. "The one they were trying to hurt was Special Agent Gibbs," he said.

"Yeah, Jess told me." She reached out and held his hand, giving him a reassuring smile.

Nathan and Jessica walked in, speaking German between them. Jessica smiled and leaned down to kiss her father's cheek.

"Hallo Vater."

Horatio smiled back at her. "Hallo Bug."

Jessica sat on the edge of Horatio's bed and just looked at him. She gently touched his cheek and watched as he flinched in pain.

"Dad, there's something I want to talk to you about," she quietly said.

Horatio looked at her confused. "Ok, what is it, Bug?"

"Dad, have you actually seen your face?" Jessica softly asked.

Horatio shook his head. "I know I look like hell, but nothing time won't heal."

"Time won't heal it back right, though," Jessica whispered. She held his hand and squeezed it gently. "Nathan's the best in the business, Dad. He's world renowned, listed as one of the top twenty plastic surgeons in the world. He can make you look like yourself, again."

"I still look like me," Horatio quietly muttered.

"But not the handsome man you were before those men kidnapped you."

"Jess, if this is about how I look in your wedding pictures then I won't have any of it."

"No, Dad," Jessica interrupted him, "It's about your health."

Nathan reached out and gently removed the bandages and brace from Horatio's face. He held up a mirror and Horatio looked at his battered face.

"See how your cheek bones are flattened and your nose is crooked?" Nathan asked in his thick German accent. "This is going to cause problems with your breathing. You'll experience terrible headaches and pain that won't ever go away because your sinus cavity is crushed and collapsed into itself. I'm not just saying these things because I'm a plastic surgeon. I'm saying this because I'm a doctor first."

Horatio gently ran his fingertips across his mutilated skin. His face was misshapen and swollen, but he knew he would never look the way he once had.

"This is what's causing the headaches right now, isn't it?" he quietly asked.

"Yes," Nathan answered, "And it'll only get worse with time as your bones grow back denser from the breaks."

Horatio sighed and silently thought about his options.

"Alright," he whispered, "I'll do it. But only so these damn headaches will go away."

* * *

Eric followed the footprints on the sidewalk. He watched as Gibbs's footsteps wandered from the alley and out onto the sidewalk. Eric followed their path backwards. He found a puddle of black sludge, no doubt the same material Gibbs's footprints had left on the sidewalk. He lost the trail momentarily, Gibbs not having yet stepped in the sludge, but found a few prints in the dirt on the other side of the alley. Then the footprints were gone.

Eric sighed and leaned against the building.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath.

"What's wrong?" McGee asked as he joined Eric.

"I can't find anymore prints," Eric explained, "Nothing but pavement from here on out."

McGee looked at the shabby neighborhood, trying to process everything in his mind.

"Gibbs was hurt," he said, trying to play the scenario out loud, "So I don't think he could have gotten that far."

"And these guys are butt ugly and weird looking, so they probably didn't want to come out looking for him," Eric continued.

"Not to mention Horatio said the one tried to…" he was unable to finish his sentence, shaking his head instead. "Maybe the others knew and didn't think anything of it when their brother didn't come back up right away."

"Which means Gibbs had a head start," Eric said. "But he was injured and carrying Horatio, who probably weighs the same as him."

"So that's going to slow him down a lot," McGee said as he began walking. "But he's still going to need to stop and rest for a moment." He stopped and looked at the ground. "Gravitational blood spatter," he said, gesturing to the ground. "Horatio was bleeding."

Eric smiled as he looked at the dirty pavement. "We follow the trail, we find the uglies."

"Exactly," McGee said as they continued on down the street.

* * *

Jessica and Ryan worked together to process the crime scene, collecting evidence and taking pictures. They lifted an end table together and carried it out to the Hummer after they wrapped it in brown butcher's paper. They stopped and took a water break, the sun beating down hard.

"It's been awhile since we've processed a crime scene together," Ryan said with a smile.

Jessica returned it with a small one of her own. "Yeah, it has."

"I've missed working with you," Ryan quietly said. "You always were my favorite person to be paired with."

Jessica giggled and nudged him with her elbow. "You're just saying that."

"No, really, you're so smart and observant. I feel like I learned as much about scene processing from you as you did me."

"Well you were the sexiest supervisor I ever had for any job."

Ryan chuckled and leaned down to kiss her. "You're so perfect," he whispered.

"And you're simply amazing," Jessica quietly responded.

* * *

Eric and McGee waited across the street from the ranch style house in the MDPD Hummer, waiting for their backup.

"You sure this is the house?" Eric asked apprehensively.

"Yeah, it has to be. Gibbs said it had a basement with a crawl space that led outside," McGee explained.

"And that's exactly what that door is over there," Eric quietly said.

All the shades were drawn on the house, the windows dark. There was no car in the driveway, but there was a garage. It looked as if no one was home.

"The neighbors said no one comes out during the day, but they do hear a car leaving sometimes at night," McGee explained. "One also said her daughter swears she saw a monster outside this house one time."

"Well there's a monster alright," Eric said in a low, angry voice, watching several patrol units pull up behind them. "And they're all three about to pay for what they've done.

* * *

Gibbs stuck his head out and looked up and down the hallway. When he was sure the coast was clear, he rolled out and headed straight for the elevator. He quickly slipped into an empty cart. It was a quiet ride, surprisingly alone, too. He caught a lucky break when he found the sixth floor corridor empty also.

Gibbs hummed quietly to himself as he rolled into Horatio's open door. He was surprised and felt uneasy about the redhead missing. He picked up his chart from where it hung on the end of his bed. Horatio was scheduled to be in surgery at three o'clock. Gibbs looked at the clock, it was just past six. He read over the chart again, but it didn't indicate what kind of surgery Horatio was having. He shrugged and replaced the chart and rolled over to the empty bed. He carefully climbed into it and laid his head down. He was suddenly tired and his eyes drifted shut.

* * *

Tears welled over in Jessica's eyes as she pulled off onto the shoulder of the highway in the Hummer.

"You caught them," she said through her tears.

"Yeah, Jess," Eric said in a comforting voice, "We followed the trail Gibbs and Horatio unintentionally left straight to house. We brought two of them in alive, but the third one was dead in the basement, along with two bodies that have been down there so long they're nothing but skeletons."

Jessica sighed and rested her forehead against the steering wheel. She felt Ryan run his hand along her spine, choking on his own tears.

"Have you told Horatio or Gibbs?" Jessica inquired.

"No, we just caught them," Eric explained. "Besides, I thought Nathan was operating on Horatio."

"He is, but he should be done soon," Jessica said, looking at her watch. "He started like five hours ago. But Horatio's face was demolished, so it might take awhile."

"Well tell him I said get better soon," Eric said. "I have to go process the house with McGee and Walter while Frank and his guys book the uglies."

"Thank you, Eric," Jessica quietly said, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

"You're welcome, Jess," Eric gently whispered, "You know I would do anything for you and Horatio. You guys are my family, whether anyone still thinks so or not."

* * *

"Lieutenant Caine, you're out of surgery already?"

Gibbs's eyes snapped open and he apprehensively looked at the nurse.

"Um, yes?" he quietly said.

"Well that went faster than expected," she said, picking up Horatio's chart from the end of the bed. "But then again Dr. Friedman is a miracle worker."

Gibbs smiled, trying not to laugh. "He sure does."

"Well let's see how you're doing," the nurse said. She took Gibbs's temperature and blood pressure before she checked his pulse. "You seem to be doing better. Your blood pressure's not as high anymore, which is definitely good. Does anything hurt?"

Gibbs tried not to crack a smile as he continued to fool the dimwitted nurse.

"My scrotum hurts," he managed to say without laughing.

"Well it says here you were experiencing some pain earlier," the nurse said as she set down the chart. She pulled back the blanket and gently held the hem of his gown. "Let's take a look. We don't want any problems in your nether regions."

Gibbs worked hard not to laugh as the nurse began touching him and examining his groin.

"Well that's weird; I don't see any of the stitches that your chart indicates you have."

"Really? That is very odd," Gibbs said in a serious voice.

"Laura, what are you doing?" Alexx asked as she helped wheel in a gurney, a sleeping man lying atop it.

"Dr. Woods, thank goodness you're here," the nurse said. "I was just checking in on Lieutenant Caine and I can't seem to find the stitches indicated on his chart that are causing him some discomfort."

"That's because _this_ is Lieutenant Caine," Alexx said, gesturing towards the man sleeping on the gurney with a bandaged head. "He's been in surgery for the last six hours. Dr. Friedman just finished him up."

The nurse looked at the sleeping body on the gurney and then back at Gibbs. He pursed his lips together, trying to keep from laughing.

"Then who is this?" she quietly asked Alexx.

"That would be the hooligan Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs who keeps escaping from his room," Alexx said in a furious voice.

The nurse looked back at Gibbs, her eyes livid. Gibbs hissed slightly and squirmed as her grip on his testicles tightened.

"You little bastard," she hissed.

"Now don't go castrating the man," Alexx said, gently pulling her hand away. "That's for me to do."

Horatio groaned from where he laid on the gurney. He shifted slightly as the pain clearly began to settle in.

"Get him out of that bed," Alexx said, "The real Lieutenant Caine needs his morphine drip, especially after surgery like he's been through."

The nurse grasped Gibbs's shoulders a little too firmly and helped him back into the wheelchair. The team of doctors and nurses transferred Horatio back into his bed and Alexx quickly re-hooked his IV into his arm. Horatio sighed and his body seemed to settle into bed.

"Now," Alexx said in an irritated voice, "I'm going to personally make sure you get back to your room and a lock is placed on the door."

Gibbs sighed and knew he was in for a tongue lashing from Alexx.

"Will you at least tell me what he was in surgery for?" he quietly asked.

"Facial reconstruction," Alexx said, "Jessie Bug's best friend and husband just so happened to be flying into the country this weekend and he willingly pieced Horatio's face back together for him. He may have to undergo a second surgery, but at least he won't be in pain anymore."

Gibbs sighed and felt a sense of hope in his heart.

"I'm glad to hear it," he quietly said.

Alexx couldn't help but smile and rub his shoulder.

"Now," she said, "Something you don't want to hear."

"Oh boy," Gibbs muttered as the reprimanding began.

* * *

"How could she have mistaken him for Horatio?" Jessica asked as she carried her sleeping son to his bedroom. "I mean, come on, Alexx, Gibbs's hair is gray and his face wasn't bashed to hell. The nurse would have had to be blind to not know it wasn't Horatio. No, a blind person would still be able to tell it wasn't Horatio. She's just stupid! Did she not notice the lack of injuries?"

"You know, Bug, I really don't even know what that girl was thinking," Alexx said with a scoff. "I have to hand it to Gibbs, though. He managed to get her to grab him by the balls and she still didn't know."

"There aren't going to be any sexual harassment charges, are there?" Jessica apprehensively asked.

"I don't think so," Alexx sighed. "I think she's more embarrassed she made the mistake and doesn't want anyone to know."

"Does Gibbs feel bad about what he did?"

"No, I'm pretty sure he doesn't. Boy had a hard-on anyone could have seen from a mile away."

"You would notice that, Alexx," Jessica chuckled.

"Hey, I've been working almost around the clock since your father got here," Alexx retorted. "Excuse me for needing some attention from my husband."

Jessica chuckled and said to good night to Alexx before she hung up. She walked upstairs to her bedroom and smiled at the sight of her fiancé lying on his stomach in bed. She kissed the back of his neck and rubbed her hands up and down his back. Ryan's eyes slowly opened and he smiled at her.

"Hello beautiful," he said as he rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him. "Where are Sami and Nate?"

"At the hospital," Jessica explained as she curled against his chest. "Nate's on call for Horatio, just in case. The hospital provided them with a room so it would be easier to find Nate if anything went wrong with Horatio."

"Heaven forbid," Ryan said as he held her closer. He stroked her back and sighed. "Yup, I'm horny. Want to have sex?"

Jessica giggled and kissed his neck. "Of course," she quietly said. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I wasn't sure if you were stressed from work or with Horatio's health," Ryan explained. "I just wanted to make sure."

Jessica smiled and kissed him gently. "I love you so much," she whispered.

"And I love you more than anything in this world," Ryan said with a kiss. "Except for Oliver."

Jessica giggled and nuzzled her face against his neck. "I think I can deal with that."


	13. The Princess and the CSI

The Princess and the CSI

* * *

Gibbs limped as he awkwardly maneuvered through the Miami Dade Crime Lab. He stopped and sank into a desk chair with wheels. He used his crutches and pushed himself the rest of the way to the layout room. Eric couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the silver haired marine rolling in.

"A little sore still?" Eric asked as he continued working on his report.

"Yeah, I cracked a vertebra," Gibbs retorted as he adjusted the height of the chair so he could see the top of the table. "What are you working on?"

"Just reading over Tom's report from ugly number two," Eric said, sliding the first page of the report over so Gibbs could read it.

"Death due to blunt force trauma to the head," Gibbs read.

"Yup, and McGee and I concluded it was self defense," Eric commented, continuing his work.

"You're not just saying that because it's me, are you?"

"Nope, that bastard was going to rape Horatio, probably kill him eventually. Doesn't get more defensive than that."

Jessica and Ryan walked in and stood next to Eric. Jessica set the small child she had been carrying on top of the light table so he was facing her. She absentmindedly stroked his hair and kept her other hand on his waist.

"What's Oliver doing here?" Eric inquired as he leaned down to kiss the small boy's temple.

"Uncle Ron's running late," Ryan explained. "He had an appointment in Tampa last night and ended up just shacking up in a hotel there but overslept. He should be here to pick up Oliver in about an hour."

Eric smiled at the young boy and touched his hair. He turned his attention back to Jessica and Ryan and explained the autopsy report.

Oliver looked around the room. He knew where he was, he had been there before. His eyes locked on Gibbs and the old Marine gave him a small smile. Oliver's eyes darted away but quickly returned. Gibbs smiled at him again, noting he had the same eyes as Jessica and Horatio.

"_What's your name?"_ Gibbs signed.

Oliver looked at Gibbs surprised for a moment. _"You sign?"_ he asked.

"_Yeah, a little,"_ Gibbs responded.

Oliver smiled and giggled lightly, making a shy expression at Gibbs.

"_My name is Oliver David Horatio Wolfe,"_ Oliver finger spelled perfectly.

Gibbs smiled again. _"Horatio? Is Horatio Caine your grandfather?"_

"_Yes!"_ Oliver eagerly signed with a smile. _"I love my grandfather!"_

"_That's good. Your grandfather is a very brave man and a great cop."_

"_Yes, he is!"_ Oliver proudly responded. _"I want to be a cop like him when I grow up!"_ Oliver looked at Gibbs for a moment before he spoke again. _"Are you the man Mommy and I went to see in the hospital?"_

"_Yes, I am. My name is Jethro."_

"_Jethro?"_

"_Yes, it's a funny name, isn't it?"_

"_A little, but so is Oliver."_

"_I think your name is a great one. You should be proud to share a name with your grandfather."_

"_I am! My Daddy picked out the name Horatio just for me!"_

"_He's a smart man," _Gibbs said with a smile.

"_So is Mommy. I want to be a crime scene investigator just like my parents when I grow up! And a cop like my grandfather!"_

Gibbs chuckled and smiled at the young child. _"You have big dreams for a little boy."_

"_Mommy always says dream big,"_ Oliver said with a smile. His tiny teeth were visible as they continued their descent from his gums.

Jessica watched and smiled as Gibbs signed with her young son. Oliver looked up at her and smiled. Jessica leaned down and kissed his forehead. Oliver held up his tiny hand and laughed.

"_I love you, Mommy!"_

"_I love you, Ollie."_

"Oh good, Dr. Caine," Joan said as she walked into the layout room, "I've been looking for you."

"Joan, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Jessica," Jessica chuckled as she held her son's small hand in her own.

"Sorry, Dr. Caine…I mean Jessica." Her eyes locked on Gibbs and a sudden smiled spread across her face. "Dad, I didn't know you were going to be here."

Gibbs smiled and stood from his chair. He limped over to her and hugged her, kissing her cheek lightly.

"Didn't anyone tell you I was here?" he chuckled as he looked at her. "Not even McGee?"

"No, no one's told me you're here," Joan explained. "I've been working in the lab most of the last two weeks. When did you get here?"

"About a week ago." Gibbs looked at her and smiled. "Wow, you've changed so much since I last saw you."

"Excuse me, Agent Gibbs?" Eric apprehensively said. "Do you and Joan know each other?"

"Know each other? I raised the hooligan myself!" Gibbs proudly exclaimed, wrapping his arm around Joan's shoulders. "This is my second oldest daughter, Joan Farinelli. Her mother refused to give her my last name because we never married. She kept Joan away from me the first few years of her life with barely one visit a year, but then dumped her on my doorstep when she decided to head to Canada for god knows why."

Jessica chuckled and shook her head. "Go figure the daughter of Special Agent Jethro Gibbs would be the one I'd pick to be my understudy."

"So you're the one who took my daughter under her wing," Gibbs said with a smile.

"Oh my god, Dad," Joan said, slightly embarrassed. "Didn't you get the hint when I told you I was studying with Dr. Caine at Miami Dade?"

Gibbs silently processed the information. "Oops," he quietly said, "Guess I didn't put two and two together."

"So you went for Miami Dade instead of NCIS?" Ryan inquired. "What, didn't want to follow in your old man's footsteps?"

"No, I wanted to," Joan said. "I started out as a Marine, but I was in a car accident three years ago when I was nineteen. I had major head trauma, but the doctors were able to save my life. Unfortunately I went colorblind as a result of the surgery, which resulted in my honorable discharge from the Marines."

"Yeah, apparently you need to be able to see red and green to be a Marine," Gibbs said. "I never did understand that. It's not like its Christmas."

Joan shook her head and nudged Gibbs in the ribs. She stopped and looked at the back brace he still wore.

"Oh god, Dad," she muttered, "I don't think I even want to know what you did this time."

"Saved my father's life," Jessica said, stepping towards her with Oliver in her arms.

"Wait, what?" Joan quietly said.

Jessica smiled and handed Oliver to Ryan.

"Come on, Joan," she said, linking arms with the other woman, "I'll explain it on the way to the ballistics lab. That is why you were trying to find me, right?"

* * *

Horatio groaned as he slowly woke up yet again. He sighed and held the body lying next to him a little closer, not needing to open his eyes to know it was her. He had long since memorized the way her body felt against his, no matter how old she was.

"Hello Bug," he whispered through a dry throat.

Jessica sat up and smiled down at him. "Good morning, Daddy," she quietly said.

"Help me up?"

"Yeah, sure," she said, pushing the button so Horatio was sitting up in his bed. She helped him drink his water before he leaned back against his pillows.

"What are you doing here, Bug?" he asked her, his eyes already beginning to feel heavy again.

"I had a break between cases and decided to come see you," Jessica quietly explained.

Horatio tried to smile but it hurt. "Where are Nate and Sami?"

"They'll be here soon," Jessica said. "Nate's consulting with another doctor about a burn victim."

"Is that why you're here?"

Jessica nodded her head. "Poor kid was locked inside a burning car. A Good Samaritan stopped and pulled him out before he called 911. Poor kid has third degree burns all over his entire body."

Horatio held her hand and looked at her engagement ring. It was beautiful; an engraved Celtic knot in the silver band with a large ruby and several impossibly small pearls framing the stone.

"Your mother would be so proud of you," he nearly whispered.

"Lieutenant," Nate said in his booming voice as he and Alexx walked into Horatio's room, "Time to remove bandages."

Horatio sighed and watched Jessica slide off the bed and move out of the way. Nate and Alexx worked together to remove the bandages on Horatio's face, trying to cause as little discomfort as possible. Nate held up a mirror and Horatio smiled at the sight of his still swollen yet more normal looking face.

"Well don't you look handsome," Alexx playfully said.

Horatio smiled, though it hurt, as he examined his bruised and swollen face.

"And you're sure I'm going to look just as I did before the uglies smashed my face?" he inquired.

"Well, your nose won't be quite the same," Nathan explained. "I reset it, but it should be straighter then before."

"So no more old man nose," Horatio chuckled, still admiring his face in the mirror.

"No more headaches, either," Alexx said. "Nathan was able to reconstruct your sinus cavity and around your eye sockets. So there shouldn't be anything pushing against it anymore."

Horatio continued to smile and look in the mirror. He looked up at Nathan, still beaming with joy.

"Thank you, Nathan," he said, "I appreciate you working on me, even though this was supposed to be a fun trip."

"It's no problem, Lieutenant," Nathan boomed in his heavy German accent. "Sami and I love visiting America!"

Jessica squeezed Horatio's hand and smiled at him.

"I have to go now, Dad," she quietly said. "Frank should be calling me any minute to ask where the hell am I." She leaned in and gently kissed his tender cheek. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too, Jessie Bug," Horatio said, kissing her cheek in return. "Tell everyone I already miss the lab and working with them."

Jessica smiled as she stood to leave. "I will, and I'm sure they'll believe it."

Jessica went to leave as Ryan walked in. They stopped and exchanged greetings and a quick kiss before Jessica left and Ryan leaned down to hug Horatio.

"I see someone just got to see his new face," Ryan teased as he sat in a chair next to Horatio's bed.

Horatio gave him a sideways look as he continued to look in the mirror.

"My face was crushed under a boot," he retorted. "I think I have every right to check myself out."

"Well now it's time to cover your beautiful face back up," Alexx said as she rolled over a cart with new bandages. "Your skin needs to stay covered for another twenty-four hours at the least to keep out dirt and other nasty things that could get in through the incisions and cause an infection. And you'll be sporting a nose brace for at least a week."

"Awww, that sucks," Horatio said as they began covering his face once more.

When they finished they left, leaving Horatio and Ryan alone together. Horatio looked at his soon to be son-in-law, sensing his distress.

"What's bothering you, Ryan?" he inquired.

"Nothing," Ryan quietly said.

"Ryan Wolfe, didn't anyone tell you to never lie to the man who's daughter you're about to marry?"

Ryan chuckled and shook his head. "No, my Uncle Ron didn't seem to think that lesson was important."

"So tell me, what's bothering you?"

Ryan was silent for a few minutes, mulling over his problems.

"Eric was processing a suitcase filled with cash today while I was working on evidence from a different case in the same lab," he quietly explained. "I asked him what case the suitcase was from and he said the case of the uglies. He said it was the suitcase he and McGee had handed over with the three million dollar ransom. When I asked him where they managed to get three million dollars he refused to say. He finally answered me after I pestered him for twenty minutes."

He fell silent again. Horatio knew where this conversation was going, but he didn't want to rush Ryan into the heart of it.

"He said Jessica provided the money," Ryan nearly whispered. "I asked him where she got the money and all Eric would say was I needed to talk to Jessica about it. I'm afraid of talking to her about it. I mean, where does one person come up with seventeen thousand dollars one day and then three million like six months later?"

Horatio sighed and leaned back into his pillows. He knew this was going to happen someday.

"Ryan, there's something to need to know about Jessica," he quietly said. "Something very important you need to hear from her before you're married."

Ryan looked at him with concern in his hazel eyes.

"What is it?" he whispered.

"Ryan," Horatio quietly said, trying to figure out how exactly he wanted to word his next statement. "Ryan, you're about to marry a millionaire."

* * *

Little Oliver toddled through the MDPD Crime Lab by himself, now sporting an oversized Miami Dade Police Department baseball hat. He wandered through the halls, looking for someone to play with.

He walked into his grandfather's office but was saddened when he found it empty. He continued his stroll through the corridors, seemingly unnoticed by all. He stopped when a tennis ball zipped out of the break room and back inside. He watched as it sped through the air again and returned once more out of sight. He looked in and saw the silver haired man with the funny name, Jethro, lounging on the couch, throwing the ball around the room. He chuckled and toddled over to the man. He smiled at Oliver and carefully sat up. He helped Oliver up onto the couch and messed with his hat.

"_Where are your parents?"_ the man signed.

Oliver shrugged his shoulders. _"I don't know,"_ he responded. _"They both left a long time ago."_

"_Do you work in the lab by yourself often?"_

"_No, my Uncle Ron was supposed to pick me up but he's still not here."_

"_Who's in charge of you?"_

"_My Uncle Eric and Aunt Calleigh."_

"_Where are they?"_

Oliver smirked and giggled. _"I snuck away!"_ he happily signed.

"_You shouldn't do that, Ollie," _Gibbs responded.

Oliver looked at him with a sad expression. He slid down from the couch and looked back at Gibbs.

"_I should go back then,"_ he slowly signed.

Gibbs smiled at him and stood from the couch. _"I'll walk with you."_

They walked down the hall together, Gibbs still limping slightly. A relieved looking Calleigh caught sight of them as she rounded the corner.

"Oliver," she muttered as she knelt before the small child.

Oliver looked at her with his big blue eyes.

"_Sorry, Aunt Calleigh,"_ he signed.

"He says he's sorry he ran away, Calleigh," Gibbs interpreted for her.

"It's ok, Ollie," Calleigh softly said. "I was just worried."

Oliver looked up at Gibbs with a confused expression.

"_Why does everyone always talk to me? Don't they know I'm Deaf?"_

Gibbs laughed at the small child's humor, shaking his head as he smiled.

"_Well sometimes people forget, Oliver. She just wants you to know she was worried when you disappeared. You shouldn't do that anymore. You could get in real trouble."_

"_Ok, can you tell her I won't ever do it again?"_

Gibbs smiled and nodded his head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the tennis ball.

"_Hold onto this for me, will you?"_ he asked Oliver. _"I think you'll like it much better than I do."_

Oliver smiled and happily accepted the ball. _"Thank you, Jethro!"_ he eagerly signed. _"I'll keep it forever!"_

Gibbs smiled and rubbed his hand against Oliver's hat. Oliver laughed when the hat sat a skewed on his head. He straightened it and smiled up at Gibbs.

"_You remind me of my Grandpa,"_ he said with a smile.

Gibbs smiled back at him and nodded his head.

"_Good, that's what I strive for."_

* * *

Jessica flopped onto her bed and sighed. It had been a long day of working cases and watching Oliver at the lab. Uncle Ron had never showed up to take Oliver. Apparently he forgot again.

Jessica closed her eyes and tried to relax her frazzled nerves. She listened to the door open and close, then the weight of someone sitting next to her on the bed. She opened her eyes and looked up at Ryan. She smiled at him, but he didn't smile back.

"Jess," he quietly said, "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Ok," Jessica said, sitting up so she was level with him. "What is it, pumpkin?"

"Jessica," Ryan quietly continued, "I need to ask you a question."

"Well go ahead."

"You have to be honest with me."

"Ryan, you know I will."

Ryan sighed and looked down at his lap before he brought his gaze back to hers.

"Jessica, how much money do you have?" he whispered.

Jessica was silently taken aback. She hadn't expected Ryan to ask this kind of question. She stood from the bed and wandered over to the window. It was raining again; it had been on and off all day. She watched the rain drops spatter against the glass of the wall of her bedroom that was nothing but windows.

"I don't see why it's important," she quietly responded.

"Jessica, I know what you are," Ryan said to her as he stood and walked over to where she stood. "Horatio told me this afternoon."

"Did he tell you why?" she whispered.

Ryan shook his head and gently placed his hands on her shoulders from behind. "No, he said I needed to hear the entire story from you."

Jessica sighed and shuddered, though she wasn't cold. She watched the rain fall for a minute or so before she found her voice again.

"My mother always knew she wasn't going to live long after she was diagnosed. She bought a hefty insurance policy just after my first birthday. My father only found out about it after she died, but it was too late to change it. I was the sole beneficiary. I inherited everything after she died. Horatio was the one put in charge of taking care of the funds, it was in my mother's will. He set up a high interest savings account for me, depositing all the money into that account. There was a trust fund with it. I couldn't access the money until I was eighteen and Horatio was the only one who could change anything involving the account until then."

She fell silent again, as she watched the rain fall harder. Ryan wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind and kissed the back of her neck.

"How much was the life insurance policy for?" he quietly asked.

"One million dollars," Jessica whispered. "My mother wanted to guarantee I would be set for the future no matter what happened. She was always looking out for me."

"Did Brian get anything?"

Jessica slowly shook her head. "He was furious he didn't inherit anything. He tried to get Horatio to give him some of the money, but Horatio refused. He kept saying the money was for my future, not his. Then my father died. Turns out he had taken out another million dollar life insurance policy, me being the sole beneficiary once again. Horatio deposited this money into the same account."

Jessica was silent once more and Ryan could sense her hesitation.

"What else aren't you telling me?" he gently whispered in her ear.

"I also inherited my father's fortune," Jessica whispered.

"How much?"

Jessica was quiet again. She watched the rain run down the glass as she grew nervous.

"Ryan, have you ever heard of AFIS?" she quietly asked.

Ryan chuckled and held her tighter. "Of course I have, I use it almost on a daily basis."

"Someone had to create it," Jessica whispered. "Someone had to come up with the program for storing mass amounts of fingerprints and then a way to scan all of them to check for the right ones."

Ryan could feel how tense she was. He gently kissed the back of her neck, trying to ease her a little.

"Jessica, what are you trying to tell me?" he whispered.

"Ryan, one of the creators of AFIS was Lieutenant Brain Johnson from the Chicago Police Department."

Ryan was silent as realization washed over him.

"Your biological father helped develop AFIS?" he whispered.

"Yes, but it wasn't perfected until long after his death," Jessica explained. "But he still owned the computer programs used to develop up the scanning system. When he died I inherited his fortune and his program. I became the new owner of his scanning program."

"How much was that worth? If you don't mind me asking," Ryan quietly said.

"Five million dollars," Jessica whispered. "Once again, the money was handled by Horatio. He also helped write up a contract with Brian's coworkers on AFIS. I sold part of the program to them, but I also received funds and payment from them for using my program."

"So you own part of AFIS?"

Jessica nodded her head. "I'm the primary share holder for the company who runs it. Every six months they cut me a check and they are permitted to continue using my father's scanning program."

"How much do you get from them?"

"One hundred thousand dollars," she whispered.

Ryan felt like his heart had stopped. He was too shocked to speak.

"You get paid a hundred thousand dollars every six months and yet you still work?"

"Yeah, because I'm not in it for the money," Jessica quietly said. "I work for the victims. Besides, I've hardly touched the money in the last five years. Once Izzy died Horatio had to close the account, but he opened a new one for me when I became Jessica. Only this time the trust fund was different. Instead of waiting until I was eighteen I had to wait until I was twenty-five. Horatio wanted to make sure I actually went to college instead of living off my savings."

Ryan felt his heart hammer inside his chest. "I can't believe this," he whispered. "You're a frickin millionaire."

"There's more," Jessica whispered.

"There's more?" Ryan repeated.

"Yeah, I've also sold firewall and spyware programs that I've developed to government agencies."

"I'm sorry, you what?" Ryan asked, still shocked and confused about what he was hearing.

"I'm the creator of many of the anti-hacking programs used by different federal agencies."

"Like who?" Ryan inquired.

"State Police, Airports, the FBI, the Whitehouse, the Pentagon, even NCIS. I work to keep terrorists out of our country's computer systems. It doesn't always work, and when it does I have hell to pay. Like a few years ago when someone hacked the Pentagon. NCIS was working the case and they ended up trying to sue me. I managed to settle the case with a monetary agreement. I paid them back the money they paid me for the program, and they paid me a pretty penny for that program. That one almost put me in a finical crunch."

"What, you couldn't afford to buy your own country after that?" Ryan retorted.

"No, it cost money to start up these programs. I wasn't even twenty-five yet and I had to pay them back millions of dollars. After that I quit using private investors. I waited until I turned twenty-five three years later and I could act as my own private investor. I didn't get any business request from NCIS for awhile, too."

"Does Gibbs know you're the one who provides his facility with their internet security?" Ryan inquired.

"Probably not," Jessica quietly said. "He doesn't have anything to do with that department. He is aware though when I have to do updates and system checks. He also knows when my programs fail. He's actually the one who told the director to sue me for that infraction with the Pentagon security."

Ryan couldn't help but chuckle. "If only he knew now it was you," he whispered.

They were silent for a long time, neither able to speak. Ryan kissed her cheek and held Jessica close against his chest.

"Why have you never told me this?" he quietly asked.

"I didn't want you to know," Jessica whispered. "I didn't want your opinion of me to change because I'm worth over twenty million dollars right now."

Ryan's jaw dropped and he felt like he choked on his air. "You're worth twenty million dollars?"

"Dead or alive," Jessica quietly responded. She turned and faced him for the first time since their conversation began. "Do you hate me?" she whispered.

Ryan shook his head. He cupped her face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes.

"There isn't a thing in this world that could make me hate you, Jessica Caine," he whispered. "You're the most incredible person I know."

"I'm still not combining bank accounts with you," Jessica quietly said.

"I didn't ask you to," Ryan responded. "You said you wanted to wait until we were married, and I respect your wishes and won't push you to do it. Yeah, I think I like the sounds of being a millionaire, but I love you more then any sum of money. We could be living in a cardboard box behind Taco Bell and I would still love you. I love you for the amazing, beautiful, intelligent, and, apparently, poorly invested person you are."

Jessica chuckled lightly and looked deep into his eyes.

"The nice thing about being my own investor is I never have to pay anyone," she quietly said.

"Does Horatio know how much money you have?" he inquired.

"Yes, because he's acted as an investor for me when a company wouldn't work with me because I was flying solo," she explained. "I give him the money and he 'invests' in my product, usually under an assumed name. I still cut him a share when I get paid, though. He insists on me not paying him, but I don't care. It's the least I can do for him after he fought tooth and nail for me as a kid. I've even helped him out when he's been in a sticky situation. Like when he wanted to pay for Suzie and her daughter's apartment rent about nine years ago. He didn't quite have enough to make ends meet so I wired him the cash. I also paid for little Madison's treatment when she was sick and Kyle's apartment. I told him never to pay me back."

Ryan smiled at her and kissed her gently.

"You're so generous," he whispered.

"I would rather be poor and help others then be rich and selfish," Jessica quietly said.

"How much did you deposit in that college savings account for Ollie?" Ryan inquired.

"Not a whole lot," Jessica whispered.

"Jessica," Ryan said, "How much is not a whole lot to you?"

"Only five hundred thousand dollars," she muttered.

Ryan couldn't help but laugh. "Well here's hoping he goes to medical school," he continued to laugh. He smiled at her and kissed her again. "I love you."

"And I love you, too," she whispered in response.

Their lips met again and Ryan took Jessica's invitation to explore her mouth with his tongue. Her hands slid up his shirt and ran across his warm skin. Shivers ran down his spine as she trailed her fingers along his sides. Ryan's hands slid down the scoop neckline of her shirt and cupped her breasts against his palms. He could feel her hard, erect nipples, and he squeezed and kneaded her breasts just right. Jessica pulled his pants open and slid her hands down the front of his boxers, holding his hard erection in both her hands.

They found their way to their bed, as they continued to undress each other. Ryan pressed his hard, naked body against Jessica's, marveling at how their bodies fit together perfectly. His mouth explored her sacred temple, teasing her breast, torso, and neck. He slid his tongue between her legs and savored her unique flavor. He easily slipped inside her, her velvety soft skin wet with anticipation, filling her with his hard desire.

They made slow, tender love again and again, until they were both too physically exhausted to go on. Ryan held Jessica against his chest, stroking her back as he always did after they made love. They laid together in the settling darkness, curled beneath the blankets naked.

"Why did you stay all this time if you could have anything in the world?" Ryan suddenly whispered to her. "You're a millionaire. You could have anything and anyone you want. I'm just a broke average Joe. Why would you stay with someone like me?"

Jessica was silent in his arms. He thought she had fallen asleep when she softly spoke again.

"Because I love you."


	14. Submerged

Submerged

* * *

Horatio laid in his hospital bed. He had finished the lunch the nurse brought him, but he continued to stare at the plastic cup sitting on the tray. It looked so disgusting.

Anger suddenly bubbled up in him. He drew his hand back and swung at the plastic cup. It flew across the room and hit the opposite wall just as the nurse who had brought him lunch walked in. She stared at Horatio and then at the wall, watching the green goo slide down the beige colored walls.

"I hate green jello!" Horatio snapped, pushing the tray away from him. "Why can't anyone ever remember that?"

"Well I guess it's a good thing someone's going home tomorrow," Alexx said as she walked in.

"I'm sick of being in the hospital," Horatio grumbled. "I'm sick of being bandaged up. I just want to go home and spend time with my family."

"I think we're going to try a different antibiotic," Alexx commented as she jotted down notes on his chart. "This one's making you a little too grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy," Horatio muttered under his breath.

"You just assaulted your lunch," Alexx retorted. "If that's not grumpy then I don't know what is."

* * *

Horatio groaned as Jessica helped him lay out on the couch.

"But I don't want to stay at home while everyone else goes to work," he muttered.

Jessica chuckled as she spread a blanket out over his body.

"Sorry, Dad, doctor's orders- stay at home and relax while your face heals."

"But what am I going to do all day?" Horatio continued to grumble.

"I don't know, maybe relax?" Jessica sarcastically responded

Horatio groaned as Jessica tucked another pillow under his head.

"But who's going to take care of the lab?" he continued to protest.

"The same people who have since you were kidnapped, but with another addition." She smiled towards the door that led out to the hallway and Horatio followed her gaze. Gibbs was standing in the doorway, no longer confided by his back brace. He smiled as he walked over to Horatio's couch and knelt beside it.

"I swear, Caine," Gibbs said, "McGee and I will stay as long as we're needed. I got you into this mess. I'm the reason your face was destroyed. The least I can do is pay back my debt to you."

"Gibbs, you don't have to-" Horatio began to protest but was silenced by Gibbs raising his hand.

"Horatio Caine, if you're anything like me, which I hear we are very similar from a certain blonde woman," his eyes darting towards Jessica, "then I know you'll work yourself into a tizzy and your body won't be able to heal as well. You just stay here and let your new second in command work through all the problems."

"Second in command?" Horatio repeated with a light chuckle. "You're making it sound like you're moving in, Jethro."

"Oh, I wasn't talking about me." His gaze drifted to Jessica once more, his blue eyes telling what she had kept from her father.

Horatio slowly sat up and looked at his daughter.

"Jessie," he whispered, "what's he talking about?"

"I was promoted while you were in the hospital," Jessica quietly said. "I'm now a Sergeant. I'm the officer in charge of the lab. I have my own office and the same set of keys you have."

A smile played across Horatio's bandaged face. He reached out and pulled her slender body into his arms. He kissed her cheek and held her face in his hands.

"My baby," he whispered, "is the new Lieutenant."

"I'm not _the_ Lieutenant, Dad," Jessica corrected, carefully pulling her face away from his grasp. "I'm just a Sergeant, the officer in charge. I take command when the Lieutenant's unavailable or otherwise incapacitated."

"Which I certainly am right now," Horatio said with a light chuckle. He slowly leaned back onto the pillows piled on the couch and sighed. "I'm tired again. When will I stop being tired?"

"When you're off your medication," Sami said as she walked into the room carrying a glass of water and a few pill bottles, Lucy following behind her. "You need to sleep, Horatio. Healing is taking a great deal out of your body. You'll feel more like yourself in a week and you should be able to return to work then."

"Fine," Horatio muttered as his eyes drifted shut. It seemed that he was going to protest when he began to snore lightly.

The Jessica chuckled lightly as she stood. She smiled at her best friend and held her hand.

"Thanks for staying with him, Sami," she quietly said. "I really appreciate you and Nate doing this for me."

"It's not a problem at all, chicka," Sami smiled. "Nate's picking up a few more patients at the hospital who've heard that the infamous Dr. Nathan Friedman is in town."

Jessica giggled. She looked at Gibbs and smiled.

"Shall we, Special Agent Gibbs?" she said, extending her arm.

"Indeed we shall, Lieutenant Caine," he said, returning the smile and linking their arms together.

"Geez, I'm never going to get used to that," Jessica muttered as they left Horatio's house. "And I'm not the Lieutenant!" she playfully added.

"As of right now, since the current Lieutenant for the crime lab is incapacitated, you are."

* * *

McGee felt like his eyes were crossing as he stared at the computer screen. He looked over the evidence one more time with Eric, trying to officially close the case.

"Something's not adding up here," McGee muttered as he rubbed his sore eyes. "We're missing something."

"But what is it?" Eric asked as he shuffled through the case file once more.

"I don't know," McGee muttered, "I just plain don't know. It's like there's a missing link."

"Oh these guys are definitely a missing link," Eric chuckled, "and I don't really believe in evolution."

"Silly Catholic," Gibbs said as he meandered into the room. "What are you guys trying to figure out anyways?"

"There's something we're missing from the wolf men case," McGee explained to his boss, "but neither of us can figure it out."

"Well I might have your answer," Natalia smiled as she walked in. "Turns out our Marine and the wolf men aren't full brothers. The three wolves have a different father then the Marine."

"So Mama slept with the big bad wolf and was cursed with three cubs," Gibbs speculated. He shrugged his shoulders and turned to leave. "Oh well, have fun. I have to go find the boss so we can go check out a scene again. She thinks we missed something this morning, too."

Gibbs strolled through the crime lab. He couldn't help but secretly enjoy the looks he was still receiving from female staff members and patrol units, and the occasional look from a male staff member. His first wife had always told him he was dashing, but he was surprised he still had it at his late age.

He rode the elevator downstairs and walked to the Hummer lot, where Jessica said she and Ryan would be waiting for him. Gibbs walked over towards the Hummer. He could see Ryan sitting in the front seat alone. His eyes were closed, his head leaning back against the headrest, and a strange expression on his face.

"Wolfe!" Gibbs called out to him. "Hey, Wolfe, where's Caine?"

Ryan's eyes snapped open and she stared at Gibbs with a panicked expression. One hand flew to his lap while the other gripped the steering wheel.

"I was, um, I, uh," Ryan stuttered, lost for words. His face was flushed and he fidgeted uneasily.

Gibbs shook his head and just stared at him as he leaned his forearms against the window frame of the Hummer.

"Wolfe, is something wrong?" he inquired.

"No," Ryan said in a straggled voice. A thin layer of sweat had begun to form along his hairline and he twitched his left arm.

Gibbs stared at him for a moment before he noticed something move by Ryan's leg. He looked down and his eyes locked with Jessica's. She shrunk beside Ryan's seat as Ryan attempted the close his jeans around his hard erection.

"Oh dear," Gibbs muttered as he stepped away. "I thought we were going back to the hotel scene, but never mind. I can see you're busy."

"No, wait!" Jessica called out to him. "Just give me like twenty seconds."

"Twenty seconds? I don't think even you could finish him that fast, Jess," Gibbs teased.

"Fine then, two minutes," Jessica said as she began unzipping her jeans. "And you better turn around, you dirty old man."

Gibbs chuckled and turned his back. He idled about ten feet from the Hummer, watching the second hand tick on his watch. He listened to muffled moans and the sound of the Hummer shaking. Just before it made its second round, Ryan's straggled voice cried out a wordless call.

"Ok, you can come back!" Jessica yelled to him.

Gibbs laughed and returned to the Hummer. He was still laughing as he climbed into the backseat with Jessica and Ryan's crime scene kits.

"Not going to lie, Caine," Gibbs said as he continued to laugh, "I'm impressed. Finishing out a blow job in two minutes flat."

"Oh I didn't finish with my mouth," Jessica said with a sassy expression. "I'm not into swallowing."

Gibbs laughed loudly again, throwing his head back against the headrest. "Oh my dear lord," he said as he dialed a number on his phone.

"Caine," the voice on the other end answered.

"Horatio, do your daughter and her fiancé often have sex in the Hummers?" Gibbs asked as he continued to laugh.

"In the Hummers, in the locker room, in the shower room, in the restroom, in the interrogation room, in my office, in the ballistics lab, the fingerprint lab, the break room, probably her new office," Horatio rattled off in a tired voice. "Yeah, they've had sex everywhere but the morgue."

Ryan cleared his throat and, though his ears were burning red, displayed a proud smirk on his face. Gibbs laughed again and shook his head.

"Sorry, Wolfe just confirmed that location," he said, trying to maintain a professional manner.

Horatio groaned and sighed on the other end. "I should have known," he muttered.

"Just marking the territory!" Jessica exclaimed loudly enough for her father to hear.

"Tell her to shut her face," Horatio retorted.

* * *

Horatio walked through the crime lab for the first time in almost two weeks. His face was still sore and battered, but it was healing faster then the doctors had expected. The only bandage he wore was a brace on his nose.

He sighed as he walked into his office and found a mountain of paperwork waiting for him. He grumbled as he sat down and began looking over case files.

Jessica wolf whistled as she walked into his office. "Looking good, Dad," she said with a smile.

"If you can even see me from behind this stupid mess," Horatio grumbled. "Why couldn't the new Sergeant have worked on some of this?"

"I did," Jessica replied with a light giggle. "We've just been crazy busy."

"God, I hate doing paperwork," Horatio complained as he began looking over various forms that needed his signature. He smiled briefly when he found the request form for a new Sergeant, his daughter's name printed in the candidate section.

"Well if it makes you feel better," Jessica said, "there's someone here who wants to keep you company."

"Please don't tell me Gibbs had DiNozzo fly down here to help," Horatio playfully retorted.

Jessica laughed and shook her head. "No, someone you like a whole lot more."

Tiny feet pattered against tile as Oliver toddled around Horatio's desk. Horatio smiled at the sight of his squealing grandson. He lifted the small child onto his lap and kissed his forehead.

"Uncle Ron's out of town again and Rachael has two sick children," Jessica explained. "We kind of ran out of options."

Horatio smiled at her as he gently stroked his Grandson's brown hair.

"I'd be happy to care for Ollie, Bug," he said.

"Well if by chance you need to go anywhere," Jessica said as she stood, "just ditch him with someone around here. There's bound to be someone who could handle him."

Horatio chuckled and held his Grandson close.

"I'll keep that in mind, Bug," he said with a bright smile.

* * *

"Ok, so we've got a small problem," Jessica explained in the layout room. "With half of them in shop, we've got more cases then we have Hummers."

"Wow, that is a problem," Walter commented.

"So here's what we're going to do," Jessica continued, ignoring the interruption, "Eric and McGee need to stay here and keep working on whatever it is they're doing with the wolf men and the dead Marine. Calleigh and Walter have a double homicide in a pizza shop. Natalia, you've got a suicide at Dade University. Gibbs, if you don't mind, I'm going to send you with Frank to do a follow up on a robbery from yesterday. Ryan and I will head back to the Coastal Hotel and try to get a hold of those damn security tapes."

"You still haven't got them?" Walter asked as they began to disperse.

"No, Wally," Ryan retorted in an annoyed voice, "We haven't."

"And since our case is just a quick trip we're going to take my car to the hotel," Jessica continued, "given that we probably won't need any of the equipment right away. I'm leaving a Hummer for McGee and Eric and one for Horatio or Gibbs, if they need it. And if you all finish on time, I'll take you guys out to lunch."

"Lunch on the new boss?" Walter speculated, "I like it!"

"Yeah, well don't get used to it, Wally," Jessica retorted. "You're already getting on my nerves."

* * *

Jessica looked at the truck in her rearview mirror again. It was a Chevy Silverado, forest green with an extended cab. She turned onto a different street and the truck followed, staying hot on her heels.

"Something bothering you, Jess?" Ryan inquired from where he sat in the passenger seat. They were headed back to the lab with the security footage from the hotel.

"Yeah, this guy's been following me for the last ten minutes," Jessica said.

"Maybe he's just headed in the same direction," Ryan suggested.

Jessica shook her head. "No, this is something else." She turned down an alley and watched as the truck followed her. Her heart hammered in her chest as she watched the truck follow her ridiculous path. "No, this guy is definitely following me."

"Can you see him?" Ryan asked, turning in his seat.

"No, and don't look back at him. I don't want him knowing I know."

She pressed her phone to her ear and listened to it ring before someone picked up.

"Delko," Eric answered.

"Eric, its Jessica, I think I have a problem."

"Ok, what's going on?"

"This guy has been following Ryan and me for the last twenty minutes or so. I try to shake him but I can't get him to cut loose. Can you meet us over by the shipping bay? I don't have a Hummer so I can't use the sirens."

"Yeah, sure, McGee and I were just going to head out on a lead now."

"What did you get?" Jessica inquired, not really wanting to hang up just yet.

"We think the wolf men's father is still out there."

"And you're thinking that's your missing link."

"Yeah, exactly. Hey, Gibbs and Horatio are going to come along, too. H's leaving Ollie with Frank. We'll come get you guys and then head out to lunch or something. You know, not lead him back to the lab."

"Yeah, sounds great. How long till you guys can meet us there?"

"Give us like ten minutes. We'll use the sirens to make it faster."

"Great, because this guy is giving me the creeps."

Jessica hung up her phone and watched as the mysterious truck continued to follow them.

"Can you see his face in your mirror?" Jessica asked Ryan.

"That's a negative," Ryan said, "tinted windows."

"Damn," Jessica muttered, "We need to try and loose this guy."

"Yeah really, I want that lunch Eric was talking about."

Jessica's brakes groaned slightly as she stopped at a red light. The truck pulled right up behind her. His engine revved as he inched closer to Jessica's Audi.

"Get off my ass, dirt bag," she muttered, looking at the dark windows in her rearview mirror.

Suddenly her car lurched forward as the truck slammed into her bumper. The smell of burning rubber filled the air as the truck tried to push Jessica into the intersection.

"Oh hells no, bitch!" Jessica snapped as she hit the accelerator. She dodged several cars as she sped off from the red light. The truck took off after her, missing more cars as he swerved to catch her.

"Call it in!" she ordered Ryan as she zigzagged through traffic.

"Dispatch, this is CSI Wolfe," Ryan rambled into his phone. "CSI Caine and I are being pursued in our civilian vehicle by an unknown driver in a green Silverado! Requesting backup immediately!"

"_Copy CSI Wolfe, units are headed your way."_

Jessica's phone rang and Ryan was quick to answer it for her.

"Yeah, H, it's the same guy that's been following us. He tried to push us into oncoming traffic, but Jess sped off. Yeah, I think we're still headed for the shipping bay. Alright, we'll lead him your way."

Ryan hung up her phone and held on as they sped through the Miami streets.

"H said to get him over to the bay. He and Eric will take care of this asshole."

"Got it," Jessica said as she hit the gas again.

Jessica sped along the road, trying to shake the large truck following her and Ryan. She cut through traffic and the entire SUV shook as she plowed through the bay. The truck was ruthless. He rammed against her bumper and caused their bodies to lurch forward.

Her tires squealed as she rounded a corner, nearly flipping her blue Audi. She looked in her rearview mirror to see a bronze Hummer following close behind the green Silverado.

"We just need to shake him," Jessica said as she took another sharp turn.

"I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon," Ryan said as he held onto the car frame.

Jessica looked in the mirror again just in time to see a muzzle flash.

"Oh shit, gun!" she exclaimed as she swerved to the right. Her left side mirror shattered as she narrowly dodged the bullet. "Shoot him!" she yelled at Ryan as she continued her attempt to loose the truck.

"What if I hit the Hummer?" Ryan asked as he fumbled with his glock.

"Don't aim for it!" Jessica ordered as she took another sharp turn. Her car skidding on two wheels before it straightened back out and she sped back in the direction she had come from. "Aim for his grill and tires!"

Ryan opened the sunroof and stuck the top of his head out just enough to aim at the truck. He fired three times and watched as one of the truck's front tires blew out. The Hummer slammed into and caused it to spin out of control as the driver attempted to maintain control with his remaining three wheels.

Ryan sighed and slid back into his seat, closing the sunroof as he tried to calm down.

"I think we lost him," he said as he looked behind them.

"I don't even see the Hummer," Jessica said as she continued to speed. She drove along the fence that overlooked the bay, trying to find her way back out.

Suddenly something slammed against the back left side of her car, causing her to loose control. The SUV spun and broke through the chain link fence. Jessica and Ryan screamed as her Audi rolled over the side of the retaining wall and fell into the water nose first.

Eric slammed into the side of the green Silverado, pinning him between the Hummer's grill and a cement wall. He leapt from his vehicle as he and McGee drew their weapons.

"Get out of the car!" Eric commanded. "Get out or I'll shoot your ass!"

The man chuckled as he climbed from the driver seat. He was hideous. His eyes were different sizes and lopsided, his teeth small and pointy, and his entire face was covered in a fine, light colored hair.

A second Hummer pulled up beside them. Tires squealed and brakes groaned as the Hummer was slammed into gear. Horatio and Gibbs leapt from the vehicle and rushed over to them. They looked at the gruesome man and shuddered at the sight of him.

"Lieutenant, Special Agent," the man said in an icy voice as Eric placed him in handcuffs, "Glad we could finally meet. I know you met my sons, but we haven't had the pleasure."

"Bastard," Gibbs muttered as he walked over to him, "You thought you could get away from us."

"Eric, McGee," Horatio quietly said, "Where are Jessica and Ryan?"

Eric's face went pale and he looked towards the water.

"Oh god, no," Horatio muttered, his entire body beginning to shake.

Gibbs suddenly ran to the edge of the retaining wall and dove over the side. His body sliced through the water's surface as he began swimming downwards.

* * *

Jessica and Ryan struggled to unclasp their seatbelts inside their sinking car. Jessica crawled into the backseat and began looking through her emergency kit.

"Shit, shit, shit!" she exclaimed. "Damn it! There's nothing in here that'll help!"

"I wouldn't think you'd have anything for a sinking car!" Ryan snapped. He suddenly hit the ceiling as the car shifted in the water. He pulled out his phone and growled in frustration when he discovered he didn't have service. "Damn it!" he exclaimed throwing the useless phone to the floor.

Jessica crawled into the front seat with him and looked out the window. Water was seeping into the car and it was already up to their knees. She pulled her glock from her holster and held it above the water.

"There's only one way out, Ryan," she quietly said. "How long can you hold your breath?"

"Not as long as you," Ryan said as a dark shadow filled their windshield.

* * *

The salt water burned his eyes and he could barely make out the shape of the blue SUV as it sunk to the floor of the ocean. He grabbed the trailer hitch and held on as the car began sinking faster. He pulled himself along the top of the car. He pounded on the glass and the dome light turned on inside.

Jessica and Ryan looked at him with panicked faces. Jessica pressed her hand flat against the glass and waved him to the side using her glock. Gibbs held onto the side mirror and braced for impact.

* * *

Jessica pulled the slide back on her glock and checked that the chamber was loaded. Her hands shook as she lifted her glock and aimed at the windshield.

"Hold your breath, Ryan," she quietly said.

They each inhaled as deep as they could just before Jessica pulled the trigger.

Glass shattered and water flooded into the car. Gibbs held on as tight as he could as the car suddenly sank lower into the water. He pulled himself along the empty frame of the windshield and searched through the wreckage. He reached in and felt someone grab his hand. He pulled the person out and held Ryan against his body as he tried to retrieve Jessica. He pulled on her arm but she didn't move. He tried again but nothing happened. She waved him off as she pulled at her right leg.

Gibbs kicked with every ounce of strength he had. It seemed forever but they finally broke through the surface. They gasped for air as they swam towards where Eric and McGee stood on the lower level, waiting for them. They pulled Ryan from the water and he shivered when the cold ocean air hit him. Horatio came rushing up and wrapped a blanket around him. He looked from Ryan to Gibbs, pain in his eyes.

"Where's Jessica?" he asked panicked.

"She was stuck," Gibbs said as he started to swim away back towards where he had emerged. "I have to go back."

He dove under the water and swam as fast as he could. He could see the hazard lights flashing on the SUV as it faded from his vision. He felt around until he found the jagged edge of the windshield frame.

Jessica was floating in the water, her eyes closed and lips parted slightly. Panic swept through Gibbs's body as he grabbed her upper arms and pulled as hard as he could. She didn't move. Gibbs pulled harder, but she was stuck on something. He reached down and felt around. The bottom of her jeans was hooked on something. Gibbs tore her fly open and pulled her free from the denim confines.

He held her close to his body as he fought to the surface. Black spots began to fill his vision just before he broke through the surface. He gasped for air as he fought against the current to the retaining wall. He was at least thirty feet from where the others stood. He struggled to place Jessica on the ground and pulled himself from the water. He pressed his head to her chest. She wasn't breathing.

He began pushing against her chest, trying to get her to start breathing again. When nothing happened he pressed his lips against hers and blew air into her lungs. Jessica was still silent as Gibbs stared down at her lifeless face.

"Why aren't you breathing?" Gibbs said as he continued to perform CPR on Jessica. He pressed harder against her chest, trying to force her to breathe again. He blew air into her lungs again, but was still met by nothing.

"Come on, Jessica, breathe!" he screamed as he continued to pound on her chest. "Please Jessica, breathe!" He pushed with all his strength against her chest. He pressed his lips to hers once more and blew as hard as he could into her mouth.

Jessica suddenly coughed and water came spewing from her mouth. Gibbs rolled her onto her side and rapped her on her back. She gasped for air as her entire body shook. She looked at Gibbs.

"Jethro," she quietly gasped.

Gibbs wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his body. He held back the sudden tears he could feel forming in his eyes. He stroked her hair and back, trying to calm her shaking, panicked body. He held her and was thankful she was alive.

Horatio came rushing over to where they were. He collapsed to his knees and gathered her soaked body in his arms. He held her close as he began to cry.

"I saw Marisol," Jessica whispered, "She told me I had to come back."

He buried his face into her hair as he cried uncontrollably.

"Thank you, Jethro," he whispered through his tears.

"Not a problem, Horatio," Gibbs said as he continued to gasp for air. "You would have done the same if it was my daughter."

* * *

Horatio turned and faced Alexx as she walked into the hospital waiting room.

"No matter how many times I tell those two," she began, "they never seem to understand that I have a set limit to the number of times a patient can come to this hospital."

Horatio couldn't help but laugh at her humor. "So how are they?" he asked.

"Jessica and Ryan are going to be just fine," Alexx said with her warm smile. "Just a little water in their lungs, but nothing major."

"What about Jethro?" Horatio inquired.

"Special Agent Gibbs didn't quite fair as well," Alexx explained as she led Horatio back to where Jessica and Ryan were being held. "He fractured his vertebra again. It wasn't quite healed up, those things take a little time, but he's going to be back in his brace again, and he's going to hate it."

"He's going to be alright, though, right?" Horatio quietly asked.

"He'll be sore, but he'll be just fine in a few weeks. He's just going to need more rest, and maybe just go home already."

They walked into a room and Horatio smiled at the sight of the pale Jessica and Ryan, each lying in their own bed with an oxygen mask. He sat on the edge of Jessica's bed and smiled at her.

"Hey Bug," he whispered, gently wrapping his arms around her. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," Jessica quietly said, pulling her oxygen mask out of the way, "and it's really hard to breathe."

"You drowned, Jessie Bug," Alexx explained. "I wasn't there, but from what Gibbs told me you were dead in the water."

Her eyes seemed hazy as she looked at Alexx. "How is he?" Jessica asked.

"Fractured that vertebra again, but he'll be just fine," Alexx told her.

"When can we leave?" Jessica asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Alexx informed them. "I want to keep you two overnight, just in case."

Jessica groaned and placed her oxygen mask over her face again.

"I hate the hospital," she grumbled.


	15. Balance

**This was another one of those chapters where I sat here trying to think of a title and finally just ended with "whatever..."**

* * *

Balance

* * *

Eric and McGee watched as the crane pulled the ruined SUV from the ocean water. The crane set it on the cement ground and workmen began unhooking it. Eric and McGee thanked them, stepping towards the vehicle.

"Damn," Eric commented, looking over the destroyed windshield, "That must have been some impact to break the windshield."

"Gibbs said Jessica blew it out with her glock," McGee said as he walked around the soaking wet car. "Shall we haul it back to the garage?"

"Yeah, we're going to have fun with this one," Eric said with a sigh.

* * *

"No, I'm serious, her car was shoved off the retaining wall and fell into the ocean," Horatio explained for what felt like the hundredth time to the insurance agent on the phone as he walked through the crime lab with his young Grandson in his free arm and his diaper bag draped over the opposite shoulder. He struggled to unlock his office door while holding onto Oliver.

"I'm not making this up," Horatio continued on. "She took her car to a scene and was rammed off the road and into the ocean. I know, it sounds absurd, but it's the truth."

Horatio set Oliver on the floor and dropped the bag next to him. Oliver immediately stuck his head into the bag and dug out his toy fire truck. He began rolling it across the floor of Horatio's office, happily laughing to himself. He stopped and looked at the man staring into the room. He smiled and walked over to where Oliver was sitting. He sat on the floor next to him and smiled again.

"_Nice fire truck,"_ the man named Jethro signed.

"_Thank you, my Daddy bought it for me,"_ Oliver replied. _"Look, it lights up!"_

Oliver pressed a button and the toy fire truck's lights started blinking. It didn't emit any sound, which Gibbs guessed was Jessica or Ryan's doing, since their son couldn't hear it anyways.

"_That's really cool,"_ Gibbs commented.

"She's a crime scene investigator, that's why I'm reporting it as a work related incident!" Horatio snapped into the phone's receiver. "Would you like me to send you pictures?"

Oliver looked at Horatio and then turned his head back.

"_Grandpa's mad,"_ he signed. _"He thinks I don't know, but I do. I could feel it in his vocal chords when he was talking to the people on the phone."_

"_He looks pretty mad, too," _Gibbs commented.

"_Do you ever get mad?"_

"_Yeah, I do."_

"_What about?"_

"_Usually when people aren't doing their job right."_

Horatio groaned as he was placed on hold once again.

"Why the hell is this so difficult to believe my daughter's car was pushed over a retaining wall?" he grumbled to himself.

"Because it sounds absurd," Gibbs said as he stood to his feet once again. "I'm not sure I would believe you either if I was the insurance company."

* * *

"Found another cell phone," McGee said as he and Eric continued to shift through Jessica's car.

"This is weird," Eric said. "I did this exact same thing almost three years ago."

"Jessica's car fell into the ocean then, too?" Gibbs asked as he walked in.

"Where do you come from?" Eric asked him. "You just seem to appear out of nowhere."

"He does it back at NCIS headquarters all the time," McGee commented.

"So why were you going through Jessica's car as evidence three years ago?" Gibbs inquired.

"Shoot out, someone kidnapped her," Eric said.

"Oh, I remember that," McGee said. "Tony figured it out when she came to work for NCIS and I researched it, you know, try to figure out if he was right."

"Yet you still couldn't figure out she was a missing woman," Gibbs said as he opened the driver door. He winched in pain momentarily when the door grazed against his back brace. He carefully examined Jessica's jeans that were still lying on the seat. His hand trailed down the leg and stopped when he found the hem hooked to the gears beneath the seat. "So that's why she couldn't get out."

Eric walked over with his camera and looked at where Jessica's jeans were hooked on the seat's adjustor gears.

"That's why she waved you off," Eric said as he snapped a few pictures. "She knew you and Ryan wouldn't be able to hold your breath long enough to get her out."

"She's a brave girl, that's for sure," Gibbs quietly said. "Found her glock!" he happily declared, his mood shifting quickly.

Eric couldn't help but chuckle as he took more pictures. "Sometimes you remind me of H," he said, "but other times you seem to be the exact opposite."

* * *

"Come on, Ryan," Jessica said, pulling him along by the hand.

"Jess, what are you so panicked about?" Ryan asked, trying to keep pace with her.

"I don't want Horatio knowing we're here," Jessica quietly said, as if the mere mention of her father's name would summon him.

"Jessica, I think we'll be fine. Alexx cleared us to go home."

"But not back to work."

"Mr. Wolfe, Dr. Caine," Horatio's voice sounded from no where.

Jessica froze and Ryan walked into her, trying not to loose his balance from the sudden stop. They turned and watched Horatio walking towards them, Oliver chewing on his MDPD badge in his arms.

"I thought the two of you were supposed to take the day off," Horatio said as he approached them.

"I thought babies weren't supposed to chew on metal," Jessica retorted.

Horatio looked at Oliver, genuinely surprised to see his badge in the small child's mouth. He pulled it away, wiping Oliver's saliva off on his pants before clipping it back to his belt.

"Never mind, carry on," Horatio said, turning and walking away from them.

Jessica chuckled and slipped her hand into Ryan's.

"He's embarrassed," she quietly said. "Whenever someone catches him in the middle of doing something off the wall he just turns and leaves."

"Thank goodness our son's inquisitive," Ryan chuckled as they walked into the locker room.

* * *

"Oh come on, Ryan!" Walter teased as Gibbs walked into the layout room. "You have to still feel something towards women!"

"No, Walter, I don't," Ryan retorted. "Just because I have a penis doesn't mean I have to be attracted to anything with boobs."

"Yeah, especially since sometimes those aren't women!" Eric laughed as they continued their playful banter.

"What in the world are you guys arguing about?" Gibbs inquired as he leaned against the light table.

"Wolfe claims that since he and Jess started dating he doesn't feel attracted to other women anymore," Walter explained. "And I'm calling bullshit!"

Gibbs shrugged his shoulders. "Makes sense to me," he said. "I didn't feel anything for any other woman when I was with my first wife."

"What about the second through fourth?" Eric inquired.

"Ah, those were a different story," Gibbs said with a wave of his hand. "Those were crash course marriages. Besides, I made the mistake of straying once. It may have resulted in the greatest accident ever, but I still feel guilty about it."

"Do you feel attracted towards women now that you aren't hitched?" Walter asked.

"Well, yeah," Gibbs replied with a chuckle. "Just sometimes it's the wrong women."

"What do you mean by wrong?" Walter asked.

"I mean, sometimes I feel attracted to women I shouldn't be," Gibbs explained.

"Like younger or married women?"

"Yeah, exactly," Gibbs said with a smirk.

"Is there anyone in Miami that strikes your fancy?" Eric inquired.

"Sure is," Gibbs simply replied with a nod and a crooked smile.

"Like who?"

"Oh, I'm not telling."

"Is it Calleigh?" Walter asked.

"Nope," Gibbs answered with a shake of his head.

"How about Natalia?"

"Nope, still no where near right," Gibbs responded with a smirk. He heard something and looked over his shoulder. He watched Jessica and Natalia as they walked together through the lab. He hadn't realized he was smiling until someone said something.

"I thought you said it wasn't Natalia," Walter commented.

"I wasn't smiling about Natalia," Gibbs said as he straightened back up.

Eric started laughing uncontrollably as realization hit him.

"Oh my god, you've got the hots for Jessica!" he exclaimed.

"Sure do," Gibbs responded, "but like I said, she's a woman I can't have."

Ryan stood there speechless; he didn't know what to do. Gibbs looked at him and smiled, shaking his head slightly.

"Relax Ryan," he said, "I swear I would never pursue her. Jessica's beautiful and smart, and I've already seen her naked, and let me tell you, that is something you don't forget right away."

Ryan shot him a defensive look. "When did you see Jessica naked?" he snapped.

"Well the women's showers at NCIS were experiencing some maintenance problems and Jessica really needed to shower after a scene," Gibbs explained. "She decided she didn't want to wait until she got back to Abby's so she strolled on into the men's shower room. Dropped her towel and walked on in." He laughed and shook his head. "Tony swears it was just cold in the locker room, but I knew what really caused the stiffy.

"But seriously," Gibbs said, continuing on with his original story, "Jessica's almost the same age as my daughter and she's engaged. Not to mention, she's the daughter of Lieutenant Horatio Caine. That's just asking to have your balls ripped off."

"Yeah, believe me, he's not one to piss off," Ryan muttered.

"Has he ripped your balls off once already?" Gibbs asked with a chuckle.

"More like several times," Ryan muttered. "One time I'm pretty sure he served them up to me on a silver platter."

Gibbs laughed and shook his head. "Dare I ask what happened?"

"Horatio thought I hit Jessica," Ryan quietly said. "He didn't believe either of us when we tried to explain that Jessica really did trip and fall into the bathroom doorknob. He actually performed a full investigation about the matter."

Gibbs laughed again and couldn't help but smile. "Yup, sounds like Horatio Caine to me. Now if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I'm going to go drool over the new Sergeant for awhile."

He turned and left the layout room. The three CSIs stood there silently for a moment.

"I'm," Ryan stuttered, "I'm going to go check out what Natalia and Jessica have going on in the DNA lab. I'll catch up with you guys later."

Walter and Eric exchanged mischievous looks as Ryan left the room.

"You think he's going to make sure Gibbs stays at least ten feet from his fiancée?" Walter asked.

"Oh yeah," Eric chuckled, "I think that's exactly what he's going to do."

* * *

"God, I need this shower," McGee muttered as he, Eric, and Gibbs walked into the men's shower room.

"What, Miami weather too much for you, McGee?" Gibbs inquired as they began to shed their dirty clothes.

"No, bloaters in cargo cases are too much for me," McGee grumbled as Horatio and Ryan walked in.

"You NCIS Agents are so soft sometimes," Ryan chuckled as he pulled his shirt off.

"Hey, not all of us are soft," Gibbs retorted with a chuckle.

"I can't believe this!" Jessica snapped as she walked in wearing only a towel. "The hot water heater for the women's shower is down!"

McGee quickly grabbed his towel and attempted to cover his naked lower half.

"Relax, Timmy," Jessica said, "I've seen a penis or two in my time."

"Only two?" Gibbs chuckled.

"Well yeah, I wasn't a whore growing up," Jessica playfully retorted. "Besides, I've showered in the men's room before."

"Hey, I didn't call you a whore," Gibbs sincerely said.

Jessica giggled and shook her head. "I didn't really take it that way, Gibbs. I was just teasing you. I actually kept my legs together for a long time."

"Now did you really?" Gibbs asked her, continuing on with their slightly awkward conversation as their clothes continued to fall into a heap.

"Yes, I didn't sleep with a man until I was twenty-seven," Jessica proudly admitted.

"And I was the one to pop your cherry," Ryan said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and kissing her temple.

Gibbs turned to Horatio. "Shit, you let Wolfe pop your daughter's cherry? Do you not have any standards anymore, Caine?"

"I didn't let him," Horatio retorted, gathering his shower things. "She let him do it. I had no control over the situation."

"You better believe he didn't," Jessica said. She dropped her towel to the floor and sauntered into a stall, her shower stuff in her hand.

McGee stood there awkwardly, his face flushed red. Gibbs looked at him and laughed.

"Oh come on, McGee," he said, "I know you've seen Abby naked."

"Sorry, boss, I just, um, I, uh," McGee stuttered.

"Oh no you don't!" Horatio snapped, reaching his hand into a stall. He pulled a naked Ryan out by his hair and shoved him into a different stall. Jessica's annoyed face popped out of the stall he had been in, glaring at her father.

"Come on, Dad!" Jessica whined, "We do it all the time at home!"

"Yeah, at home," Horatio snipped. "Conserve water on your own time."

Jessica growled and ducked her head back behind the curtain. A bottle of shampoo and body wash flew through the air and into the stall Ryan had been shoved in.

"Thanks Jess," Ryan called out.

"No problem, pumpkin," she responded.

"Pumpkin?" Gibbs chuckled as he stepped into a stall. "Now there's a pet name I would have never expected for Wolfe."

"You can't see it right now," Horatio said as he stepped into his own stall, "but his ears are burning red."

"Shut up!" Ryan retorted.

Gibbs and Horatio laughed together as the sound of running water filled the tile room.

McGee stood there, paralyzed with shock. He quickly gathered his things and ducked into a shower.

* * *

Horatio smiled as Gibbs stuck the handle of the umbrella into the sand outside his beach house, shading the blanket he sat on. The older man settled down next to him as they watched the young couple and their child play in the water, a black dog happily splashing through the waves with them.

"I thought Alexx and Nate told you not to sit in direct sunlight for at least four weeks after your surgery," Gibbs said as they continued to watch the squealing toddler run around in his tiny swim trunks and life vest.

"I wasn't going to sit out here long," Horatio replied. "I just wanted to watch my Grandson swim."

"You've been out here for twenty minutes unprotected," Gibbs retorted.

"Well I decided to stay longer then expected."

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head. "You would think a redhead wouldn't want to be out in the sun so long."

"Hey, I don't burn that easily," Horatio chuckled as he watched his grandson run from the waves as they crashed upon the shore.

They sat together on the beach silently, just watching the small child and his parents play in the water. Gibbs sighed and leaned back onto his elbows.

"I told Joan I'm jealous of you," he quietly said.

Horatio looked at him apprehensively. "Why's that?"

"You have a beautiful grandson," Gibbs quietly replied. "I told her I wanted one of my own now, but she's refusing to make me one."

Horatio chuckled and shook his head. "You just have to wait, Jethro," he said with a smile. "I had to wait almost twenty-nine years for my perfect grandchild to be born."

"You think he's perfect even if he can't hear?"

"No one said he had to hear or be able to see or even walk for that matter to be perfect." Horatio explained, "He's perfect because he's my grandchild and I love him for who he is, whether he can hear me say it or not. It doesn't matter his abilities or inabilities. So what if he'll never be able to hear me talk to him on the phone? We can chat on Skype or get a video phone. I love my Grandson for who he is, not what he is."

Gibbs smiled at him before he turned his head back to where Oliver was paddling through the water, aided by his father.

"Joan's sweet on your son," he suddenly said.

"Ryan?" Horatio inquired.

"No, your biological son," Gibbs chuckled. "She didn't say anything but I can see it all over her face. She thinks he's just the cutest boy she's ever seen."

"Well I don't think Kyle feels the same way," Horatio said.

"Why not?" Gibbs inquired.

"Because he had his heart broken about a year ago," Horatio quietly explained. "He was dating this girl he met while on leave and they tried to maintain a relationship. When he came home to surprise her one time he found her in bed with another man. He was crushed. He stayed with me instead. I don't think he ever stopped crying until he climbed back onto the plane."

"So you think they wouldn't be able to go anywhere?" Gibbs asked.

"No, I just think Kyle's still not ready to move on. He has a tendency to stay stuck in the past."

"Like his father?" Gibbs inquired.

"I haven't been stuck in the past since my daughter's mother died," Horatio snapped. "I've been married twice since she died and dated dozens of women."

"Quite the crash course in the beginning from what I heard from Jessica," Gibbs quietly said. "She said you seemed to bring home a different woman every month, until you finally settled down with Suzanna, and then you divorced her after only a year."

"She didn't like my daughter," Horatio quietly grumbled. "She kept saying Izzy was a monster and I wasn't going to live with someone like that."

"Who was Izzy?" Gibbs asked. "I've heard Jessica mention her, but I still don't know who she is."

"Elizabeth Johnson was who Jessica used to be," Horatio quietly explained. "After she went to prison she made a plea bargain and was released for giving names of known Crip Kings and Blood Brothers. She changed her name and who she was. She hasn't been the same person since."

"So Izzy is Jessica," Gibbs said.

"No, they're different people," Horatio explained. "Izzy was Jessica's twin. They shared a body, but not a mind."

"Sorry," Gibbs quietly said, "I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't," Horatio responded, "It's just a sensitive subject still."

They sat together in silence, watching the young parents and their small son.

"I think it's time you went home to DC, Gibbs," Horatio said. "I know you still feel terrible about what happened to me, but don't. Your debt has been repaid. You saved my daughter's life. She was dead but you brought her back. There's nothing more you could do to make me feel grateful about what you did."

Gibbs smiled at him and then looked back out at the ocean.

"Maybe I already knew my debt was paid back," he quietly said. "Maybe I was just enjoying the sun a little longer before I had to go back home."

Horatio chuckled and shook his head. "No wonder Jessica likes you," he quietly replied.


	16. Trapped

**When I was proof reading this chapter I couldn't help but think "Wow, I kind of made everyone act like a dick to each other."  
Oh well, enjoy this nice long chapter. ;)  
**

* * *

Trapped

* * *

"H," Eric said as he rushed to where Horatio was standing at the receptionist's desk, "We've got a major problem."

Horatio looked at him apprehensively.

"What's wrong, Eric? Has something happened? Is someone injured?"

"No," Eric quietly said, "it's worse."

Dread filled Horatio as terrible scenarios played through his mind.

"Please tell me my family is alright," he quickly said.

"Well, they're mostly alright," Eric hesitantly said.

"Oliver," Horatio snapped, "Where's Oliver?"

"At his new preschool," Eric quickly answered. "Ryan dropped him off this morning."

"Where's Jessica?"

"In the elevator."

"What about Ryan?"

"Also in the elevator."

Horatio looked at Eric with a rather confused expression.

"Then what, Eric, is the problem?" Horatio quietly asked.

Eric took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves.

"Jessica and Ryan drove separately today," he quietly answered.

"Why?" Horatio asked, still confused, not knowing where this discussion was going.

"Because Jessica spent the night at my place," Eric nearly whispered.

Horatio's eyes widened with shock as he stared at the man he called his brother.

"What do you mean, Eric?" he asked in a low voice, almost a growl.

The elevator doors dinged and began to slide open.

"You'll know in about four seconds," Eric quietly said.

"Jessica, just listen to me!" Ryan yelled as he followed after the fuming Jessica.

"No, Ryan, there is nothing you could say to me that would justify what you did!" Jessica screamed back.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Ryan continued to yell at her as they walked through the lab, Jessica still four feet in front of Ryan.

"Yeah right, you bastard!"

"Jessica, what harm was done?!"

"A lot of harm was done!"

"I didn't loose!"

"You could have, you dumb fuck!"

"Damn it, Jessica, just listen to me already!"

"No! I won't!"

"That's because you never do!"

Horatio looked at Eric with a bothered expression. They followed after Jessica and Ryan, as their voices left a trail through the lab.

"Jessica, what does it matter?!" Ryan yelled again. "It's my money so I'll do what I want with it!"

"I gave you that money for safe keeping!" Jessica screamed. "I gave you that money so the next time some gang banger threatened your life because of some stupid debt you'd have the money!"

"Oh, so now you think I'm gambling again!"

"Well that was a horse race you placed a five thousand dollar bet on yesterday!"

"I told you it's my money and I'll do what I want!"

"I gave you that money in confidence!" Jessica screamed in his face. "I gave it to you because I loved you and I wanted to protect you!"

"I don't need _you_ protecting _me!_ I'm doing a fine job on my own!"

Jessica suddenly lifted her shirt, exposing the mass of jagged scar tissue on her abdomen.

"I risked my life for you!" she screamed at him, her face turning red from anger. "I was three minutes away from bleeding out because I fixed _your_ problems!"

"I didn't ask you to!" Ryan yelled at her, his eyes burning into her face, not even looking at her abdomen.

"Because you shouldn't have been in trouble in the first place!" Jessica yelled as she straightened her shirt back out.

"Just shut your face, you dumb bitch!" Ryan screamed in her face.

"Oh that's it!" Jessica snapped.

There was a blur of black and a flash of red. Jessica was suddenly in handcuffs, her upper body and face pressed against a desk. Horatio held her hands behind her back by the chain on the handcuffs. Her gun was lying on the floor.

"Get off me!" Jessica yelled at Horatio.

"Not until you calm down," Horatio said in his normal tone. "You're both being unreasonable."

Ryan looked at where her glock laid on the floor.

"You were going to shoot me!" he yelled. "You were going to fucking shoot me!"

"Maybe I was," Jessica sneered, her face still pressed against the desk. "Or maybe I wasn't."

"Jessica," Horatio calmly said to her, "If I allow you to stand up will you behave?"

Jessica's eyes burned with hatred but she slowly nodded her head. Horatio straightened her back up, but kept his grip on her handcuffs.

"Will you take them off?" she asked him, her voice closer to a normal tone.

"I don't think so, Jessica," Horatio said, his grip tightening slightly.

"Figures," Jessica muttered. "Not like it's the first time you've put me in handcuffs, Father."

"And for good reason," Horatio said, a hint of anger in his tone.

"What kind of father handcuffs a seven year old," Jessica sneered at him.

"One who's daughter can't control her temper during tantrums," Horatio retorted.

"I still think it was excessive," Jessica muttered.

"Well when you started punching holes in the walls of every house and apartment I lived in I had to do something. Now, tell me what's going on."

Jessica released an exasperated sigh and glared at Ryan.

"Mr. Wolfe decided it would be a good idea to place a bet at a horse race last night," she said. "He took our son to the race track and bet five thousand dollars on a loosing horse."

Horatio looked at Ryan surprised.

"Ryan, is that true?" he quietly asked.

Ryan darted his eyes, the shame evident. "Yes," he quietly muttered.

"Ryan, how could you do such a thing?" Eric asked.

"I still had the extra cash from after the Russian Mafia thing happened," Ryan muttered. "I decided just to place a bet for old time's sake."

"Ryan, that's a terrible idea," Eric said. "You know that-"

"That addiction is a disease!" Ryan snapped. "Yeah, I know, Eric!"

"Then why would you risk not only yourself but your son's safety?" Horatio asked him.

"Don't bring Oliver into this," Ryan quickly retorted.

"Ryan, everything in your life from now on is about Oliver," Horatio said to him. "You're a father now. No matter what choices you make, whether you think it will affect your child or not, will have an impact on his life."

"Did you even explain to your son what you were doing?" Eric inquired.

"No," Ryan snapped, "I told Ollie we were going to go watch the horses run. He thought it was fun, because he could feel that the horses' hooves made a loud sound. He didn't know I was placing a bet."

"Some father," Jessica muttered.

Ryan's eyes snapped back to her. "You want to say that again?" he hissed.

"Yeah, I said some father!" Jessica yelled.

"Now you listen to me-" Ryan snapped, advancing towards her. Eric stepped in his path, holding him back.

"Calm your ass down," he said to Ryan. "You're both acting like idiots. Coming into your place of work and screaming at each other. You looked stupid and I'm pretty sure you lost a lot of respect from several lab and police workers."

The lock clicked as Horatio un-cuffed Jessica. She rubbed her wrists where red marks had formed and rolled her eyes.

"The ends didn't justify the means," Horatio said. "And I'm saying this to both of you."

"What did I do?" Jessica snapped.

"Well for starters you drained my bank account down to a thousand dollars!" Ryan growled at her.

"So you wouldn't do it again!" Jessica yelled at him.

"Who said I was going to gamble again?!" Ryan screamed at her.

"No one, but you did anyways!"

"You bitch!" Ryan snapped, lunging at her. Eric caught him and held him back again.

"Ryan, Jessica, knock it off!" Horatio yelled at both of them. He grabbed Jessica's upper left arm and held her back.

"Let go of me!" Jessica yelled, slapping at his arm and hand.

"Not until you calm down, Elizabeth!" Horatio yelled.

Jessica looked as if someone slapped her in the face. Her jaw dropped and her face flushed. She stopped fighting and stared at her father.

Horatio looked horror struck. He couldn't believe what he had just said. His grip loosened and his hand slid away from her, as Jessica pulled her arm back.

"Jessica," he whispered, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean-"

"What?!" Jessica snapped. "You didn't mean to call me Elizabeth? You didn't mean anything by it? It was just a slip up?"

"Jessica, please let me…" but his voice trailed off. He didn't know what he had meant.

"You bastard," Jessica muttered as she backed away from him. "You rat ass bastard." Tears welled in her eyes as she stormed off towards the elevator again.

Horatio felt like someone had kicked him in the chest. Grief filled his every vein as he slowly walked away. He walked past labs and offices. He didn't make eye contact with anyone. He didn't want them to see his shame. He had called his daughter by the wrong name out of anger. In a pure fit of anger he had yelled her name, but it had been the wrong name. It was the first time in almost seventeen years he had called Jessica by the name Elizabeth.

He walked into his office and shut the door. He sat at his desk and rested his head in his hands. He could feel the onset of a massive headache beginning, and it wasn't even seven-thirty.

"_Lieutenant Caine,"_ a distorted voice said somewhere in his office.

Horatio straightened up and looked around. There was no one.

"_Right here, in front of you,"_ the voice repeated.

Horatio looked at his computer. For the first time he noticed a webcam attached to the monitor that hadn't been there the day before. He knew it wasn't an update from the IT department. His office computer had a built in webcam for video conferences.

"_Listen to me and your grandson lives."_

Horatio felt like his heart had stopped. He stared at the computer. Suddenly a new window opened and a shot of little Oliver in his preschool classroom filled the space. The small child was happily signing along with his class as the teacher led them. He reached out to the screen but the window suddenly went black.

"What do you want?" Horatio hastily asked.

"_Three million dollars,"_ the voice said.

"I don't have that kind of money," Horatio told him.

"_I know you don't,"_ the man's voice continued on, _"but the department does. Your daughter paid a three million dollar ransom just a month ago, and now the department has to return the money she lost out of their budget."_

"You want me to steal three million dollars when the federal agents drop it off," Horatio quietly said.

"_No, I want you to wire the money to me,"_ the voice instructed him. _"I know the money's in the department's account. They were going to administer several checks to your daughter as repayment. They can't write one for three million, so they're doing it collectively in smaller sums. I want you to transfer that three million dollars to the IP address I will be sending you at sixteen hundred today. Don't try to stop me. Don't try to find me. Don't try to make contact with anyone. Or the bomb I've set in your grandson's preschool will detonate."_

The screen filled with the video of Oliver and his classmate's singing with their hands. Fear filled Horatio's heart as his chest tightened.

"I'll do it," he whispered. "Just don't hurt my little Oliver."

* * *

"Please stop judging me for what I did, Eric," Ryan muttered. They were working together to shift through fifty pounds of soil that had been dropped off in the garage from a crime scene.

"I'm not judging you, Wolfe," Eric replied, loading his shifter with soil.

"Then why do you have that disgusted look on your face?"

"Because I'm disgusted with what you did," Eric snapped. "I don't care what you say, what you did was wrong. Jessica gave you that money to keep you safe and you turned around and gambled with it."

"I won twenty thousand dollars because of that bet," Ryan retorted. "How is that a problem?"

"Because that's how it starts, Ryan!" Eric snapped. "You start off winning and then you loose everything! You can't think you'll stop with one horse race! That's how every addict starts- they think one time won't hurt them but it backfires in their face!"

"Jessica drinks now," Ryan hissed. "After being sober for so many years she's started drinking again."

"But she doesn't get drunk!" Eric retorted. "She knows how to control herself! She knows what damage will be done to her body and family if she becomes an alcoholic again!"

"Don't you think I know what will happen to my family if I start gambling again? Don't you think I've had that wake up call already? I lost everything when I got caught gambling on the clock. I almost went under! I almost took my own life over it! If Horatio hadn't given me my job back when he did I would have been screwed. Don't you think that's enough of a wake up call? How is that any different then what Jessica's doing?"

"Because Jessica's choices resulted in your daughter having fetal alcohol syndrome," Eric hissed in his face.

Ryan took a step back. Shock hit him hard as Eric's words burned into his core. Dread quickly filled Eric as he alarmed himself with his words.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry, Ryan," Eric whispered, his voice quivering with pain. "I didn't mean-"

"What?!" Ryan snapped. "You didn't mean to drag my dead daughter into this?! You didn't mean to open the wounds that bastard created when he aborted my little Elizabeth?!"

"Ryan, please listen to me," Eric said, trying to follow Ryan as he stormed out of the room.

"No Eric!" Ryan screamed, the tears already forming in his eyes. "You don't know what you've done! You don't have children! You don't understand the pain I'm feeling right now!"

The button on the elevator cracked under the force of Ryan's hand and the doors slid open. Ryan boarded the cart and glared at Eric. Tears fell from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks.

* * *

The keys clicked on Horatio's computer as he sped through cyberspace, trying to indiscreetly transfer money into his lab's account.

"_Faster Lieutenant,"_ the voice said to him, _"You don't want anything to happen to little Oliver."_

"I'm working as fast as I can," Horatio said, trying not to snap at the man. "You don't understand. I can't transfer more than a certain amount from each account if I want to stay under the radar. If I go too fast someone will notice and you won't be able to get anything."

"_And then your grandson will die."_

An image of Oliver's classroom filled Horatio's screen once more. Dread pumped through his veins as he watched his young grandson happily play with the other children, unaware of the danger he was potentially in.

* * *

"So you're pissed at Ryan for gambling and you're pissed at Horatio for calling you by the wrong name," Calleigh said as she and Jessica carried evidence into the layout room.

"Yeah, that's pretty much it," Jessica grumbled as she began unloading evidence from the box.

"Well Ryan I can understand, but the thing with Horatio does seem a little harsh," Calleigh continued on. "I mean, you and Elizabeth were the same person when you were a kid."

"No we weren't," Jessica snapped. "We were completely different people. Horatio knows that."

"Hey guys," Walter said, poking his head into the lab, "have either of you seen Horatio? He was supposed to go to the post with me on our victim from last night. Dr. Tom wasn't able to get to him until this morning. Horatio was supposed to meet me in the morgue, but he was a no show."

"Well that's not like Horatio," Calleigh said. "Have you checked his office?"

"Yeah, the blinds are drawn and he doesn't answer when I knock."

"Weird, did you call or text him?"

"Yeah, like seventeen times. He's not answering anything. It's like he's ignoring me."

Jessica's phone beeped loudly and she stared at it in shock.

"That's not good," she said, picking it up and quickly working with the touch screen.

"What is it?" Calleigh asked.

"That's my emergency alert system," Jessica explained. "Someone's hacked into one of my security systems."

"Oh no, can you tell which one?"

"Yeah, I need my laptop though. It should be in Horatio's office. Was the door unlocked, Walter?"

"No," Walter answered, shaking his head. "It's like no one's home."

"Hand me a tablet," Jessica instructed. "I'll try and hook up with my Bluetooth."

She set her phone on the table and quickly linked her phone to the lab's tablet. Her fingers worked across the screen, trying to trace the hacker. Her eyes widened and her face grew pale as she stared at the screen.

"No," she whispered, "it can't be."

"What is it?" Walter asked.

"Someone's hacked into the MDPD network," Jessica quietly explained. "They used a backdoor Trojan to break in unnoticed. They're linked to a computer, monitoring it wirelessly."

"Which computer?" Calleigh asked.

"It's not the database, is it?" Walter inquired.

"No, thank god," Jessica said. "He's clear of any evidence, AFIS, IBIS, not even the crime log. He's in an office."

"Which one?" Calleigh asked again.

"Oh god," Jessica whispered, "He's in Horatio's office."

* * *

"I've already secured one million dollars for you," Horatio quietly said as he continued to work on his computer.

"_That's not what I want,"_ the voice said.

"I'm just updating you," Horatio said, trying to not be rude.

"_I can see what you're doing,"_ the voice continued on. _"And I can also see you're trying to send a text to your daughter."_

"I'm trying to apologize," Horatio replied. "I upset her earlier today and I want her to know I'm sorry for what I did. I was hoping to make dinner arrangements with her. Is that alright with you? You obviously can read the message."

There was a loud knock on his office door. Horatio looked towards, staring at the large shadow behind the blinds.

"Lieutenant Caine," Walter's voice sounded from behind, "I have my report for you."

"Can I let him in?" Horatio whispered to the invisible person in the room.

"_No,"_ the voice replied.

"Lieutenant Caine?" More knocking. "Lieutenant, I have that report you said you needed to review ASAP. Lieutenant?"

"He won't go away," Horatio muttered. "He knows I'm here."

"_Fine, let him in."_

"Come on in, CSI Simmons," Horatio called out in his normal voice.

Walter tried the door. "It's locked," he said loudly.

"_Shut the door behind him."_

Horatio stood and opened the door for Walter. He had a large case file in his hands.

"I thought you were sleeping or something," Walter lightheartedly joked as he entered Horatio's office. He set the case file on Horatio's desk, facing towards his chair.

"Thank you, Simmons," Horatio said. "I appreciate you getting that to me."

"Working hard?" Walter inquired. "You haven't left your office since you got here?"

"Yes," Horatio simply answered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my work."

Walter looked at Horatio. Horatio placed his right hand, balled into a fist, onto his left open palm. He pulled his hands towards his sternum, hoping Walter would figure it out.

"Well I have to get back to work, too," Walter casually said. "The Sergeant's hounding me for me to wrap up my three open cases."

"Understandable, Simmons," Horatio said.

Walter walked into the hall. He turned back and looked at his boss one last time before Horatio closed the door.

Horatio returned to his desk. He glanced at the case file and noticed the pen amongst the papers. He didn't need to examine it closer to know it was a camera designed by his daughter.

* * *

"Jess," Walter said as soon as he entered the layout room, "What does this mean?" He imitated the gesture Horatio had done.

"Help me," Jessica quietly said. "Did you get my computer?"

"Shit!" Walter exclaimed. "I forgot!"

"Damn it, Walter," Jessica snapped, slamming her fist onto the table. "I need that! I can't access the security network without it!"

"What's going on?" Eric inquired as he walked into the layout room.

"Horatio's being held hostage in his office by a hacker," Calleigh quickly explained.

"Oh shit, are you kidding?" Eric exclaimed.

"No and stupid Walter didn't grab my computer off his couch like he was supposed to," Jessica said, still angry.

"Well can't you just use a department computer?" Walter asked.

"No, if I do there's a chance he'll see me coming," Jessica snapped. "Did you at least put that pen camera in the case file?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Great, but it doesn't do us any good if I don't have a computer that supports the program."

"Walter," Ryan said as he walked in. He looked around the room and an angry expression overtook his face. "Never mind," he muttered as he turned to leave.

"Ryan!" Jessica exclaimed, running to him. "I need your laptop!"

"Why?" Ryan snapped. "Don't you have two or three of your own?"

"Yes, but I don't have time to go get them or play this stupid game with you. Is it in your car still?"

"What game?" Ryan retorted.

"Ryan, my father is being held hostage in his office by some virtual criminal and I can't know what's going on unless I have a computer that supports my surveillance program. You're the only person, besides Horatio, who I've shared this software with."

Ryan looked at her dumbstruck. "Horatio's, wait, what?" he said confused.

"Come on," Jessica said, pulling him along the corridor, "I'll explain on the way to your car."

The CSIs watched them leave, their fingers slowly intertwining with each others, just as they did whenever they held hands.

"I guess it's a good thing Jess crashed at my place last night and Ryan had to drive himself in," Eric quietly commented. "His laptop wouldn't be here otherwise."

* * *

Ryan unlocked the doors of his Venza and quickly grabbed his laptop case. Jessica stopped him and gently pushed him against the car. She looked deep into his hazel eyes for a moment before she gently kissed him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him.

Ryan set his computer case on the ground and gently held her face in his hands.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," he whispered. "I'm the one who should be apologizing. You gave me that money so I would be safe but I used it in the wrong way. It doesn't matter how much I won. The risk wasn't worth the outcome."

Jessica slipped her hand into his and interlocked their fingers in the familiar pattern.

"How did you figure out there's a hacker?" Ryan quietly asked.

"My emergency alarm went off," Jessica explained. "The system was notifying me that someone breached the system."

"Isn't that the IT department's job?" Ryan asked with a light chuckle.

"Ryan, when was the last time you actually saw the IT department do their job?"

"Well they seemed to be discouraged since a certain Lieutenant's daughter moved in."

They walked into the layout room and Jessica was quick to set up her work station.

"Ok, now it seems he used a wireless connection," she said as she quickly began pounding on the keys of Ryan's computer.

"So we don't know where this guy really is," Eric commented.

"Yes and no," Jessica smirked. "I can find him, but it's going to take some time."

"And if anyone can find him, it's Jessica Caine," Walter said with a small chuckle.

"Exactly," Jessica said with a crooked smile.

* * *

"I need to use the restroom," Horatio said as he continued to type.

"_Use a bottle,"_ the voice ordered him.

"I'm a fifty year old man," Horatio retorted. "I have prostate problems. Besides, I have standards."

"_Fine, you have three minutes. I know the head is thirty feet down the hall. If you're not back in that time then your grandson dies."_

Horatio leapt from his chair and burst through the door of his office. Jessica was standing almost directly outside his office.

"Horatio, I have-" she started but he cut her off. Horatio grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along into the restroom.

"Jessica, you have ninety seconds to do what you need to do," Horatio said as he stepped in front of a urinal and unzipped his pants.

"That's plenty of time," Jessica said. She pressed something into Horatio's ear and slipped a pen into the breast pocket of his blazer. "Wireless earpiece and microphone," she explained. "I'll be able to communicate with you through this. The pen is a wireless jammer. He won't know it but I'll be able to interfere with his signal and figure out what he's up to."

"He wants three million dollars or else he'll blow up Oliver's preschool," Horatio said as he finished and zipped his fly closed once again. He moved to the sink and began washing his hands. "I can't contact anyone and I can't leave my office. If I'm not back in the next ninety seconds he'll detonate the bomb."

"Anything else I need to know?" Jessica inquired as they walked down the hall. A random passerby gave Jessica a measured look as she walked out of the men's restroom.

"He said he'll send me an IP address at sixteen hundred and that's where I have to transfer the money."

"Alright, I'll try to intersect him." Jessica stopped him and grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry, Dad," she quietly said.

Horatio leaned down and quickly kissed her forehead. "We'll talk later," he said as he ducked back into his office.

He sat back at his computer and resumed his typing.

"_You make good time for an old man,"_ the voice commented. _"Let's see if you can keep that up."_

The image of Oliver's preschool classroom filled his screen once more. Horatio tried to ignore his grandson's happy face as he continued to type away.

* * *

"He's definitely using a voice distorter," Jessica noted as she continued her work. "Damn it, where is he?"

"You can't find him?" Walter asked looking over her shoulder.

"Back up, Walter," Ryan commented, stepping between him and Jessica. "Jess needs her space to work."

"Well why are you backed right up to her?" Walter argued.

"Because she's my wife," Ryan said. He slipped his arms beneath Jessica's and began typing on the keyboard with her. Jessica couldn't help but smile as his head rested on her shoulder and their fingers worked together to process the information.

"You've gotten better at hacking," she smirked.

"I learned from the best," Ryan smiled in her ear.

The computer beeped and an alert flashed.

"Ha!" Jessica exclaimed, "We've got him!"

Eric finished hooking up the second monitor to Ryan's computer. An image of a computer desktop filled the screen.

"Ok, here's where it gets tricky," Jessica said, moving to the keyboard Eric barely finished setting up. "I have to navigate through his computer without him noticing." She tapped the Bluetooth set on her ear and a blue light lit up on it. "Horatio, if you can hear me cough once."

The image of Horatio on a different computer briefly coughed before he continued typing.

"Good, here's what I need you to do," Jessica continued. "I need you to distract him somehow so I can try and get his information off his computer. If you understand I need you to touch your brow."

Horatio lifted his hand and rubbed his brow.

"_I've got two million dollars for you," _Horatio's voice said through the computer's speakers. _"I will send it to you now in exchange for a good merit."_

"_What would that be?"_

"_Deactivate the bomb and I'll get the last million."_

The man's creepy laugh filled the speakers.

"_No can do, Lieutenant."_

"_Why not? You have two million dollars now. You could flee the country with that kind of money before anyone even notices it's gone."_

Jessica's fingers flew over the keyboard. She sped through the cyberspace of the strange man's computer.

"We need to figure out what to do with the bomb," she said as she continued to pound on the keys.

"We need to get the kids out of that preschool," Eric said.

"No can do," Jessica said. "We get them out that man will know something's up and he may detonate it early."

"Then what do we do?" Eric quietly asked.

"Surprise career day," Jessica said. "Make a few phone calls; you and Calleigh are going to visit my son's class."

* * *

"Let the children leave," Horatio said as he continued to type. "I've secured two and a half million dollars for you. Let the other children leave the building. The only one you want is Oliver."

"_You're a bastard, Caine,"_ the voice said. _"I can't do that. Besides, you've already sent two of your officers."_

"No I didn't," Horatio retorted. "The lead teacher's out sick today. Someone called in a few officers for an impromptu career day. In case you didn't notice there are other parents showing up."

Horatio watched as Eric and Calleigh introduced their selves as Oliver's aunt and uncle from the Crime Lab while one of the teachers translated. His heart pounded in his chest. He knew that if he didn't do what the man said not only would Oliver die; Eric and Calleigh would perish, too.

"I need to use the restroom again," Horatio said.

"_Somehow I don't believe you,"_ the voice said.

"I'll bring up my medical records. Show you where it says I'm experiencing an enlarging prostate."

"_Then show me."_

Horatio clicked his mouse a few times and typed a couple of commands. Almost immediately a falsified medical report popped up on his screen. He hid his satisfaction, feeling rather proud his daughter was able to create the report so quickly.

"_Fine, you have three minutes to use the head."_

Horatio stood and rushed down the hall. He grabbed Jessica's arm again and once more dragged her into the men's room.

"I haven't spent this much time in the boy's room since high school," Jessica jokingly said as Horatio pulled her over to a urinal.

"I'm rather impressed, Bug," Horatio said as he unzipped his pants. "You were rather quick with that medical history. Now tell me why Eric and Calleigh are at the preschool."

"We needed an excuse to get the kids out of there," Jessica explained.

"What does that have to do with Calleigh and Eric?" Horatio inquired as he moved to the sink.

"Hummers are sweet," Jessica replied. "Any two year old would want to play with the sirens and lights, whether they can hear them or not. Plus, the fire department's on their way. Every child loves fire trucks."

"Especially your son," Horatio said with a smirk as they left the room.

"They're all going to want to check the truck out," Jessica continued to explain. "But the fire truck doesn't fit in the front parking lot."

"So they'll have to go out to the back parking lot," Horatio finished, understanding what she was getting at.

"Exactly, away from the building and the supposed bomb."

"You think he's bluffing?"

"Possibly, I'm still working on hacking his computer to figure out exactly who he is."

"Keep up the good work, Bug," Horatio said. He quickly kissed her forehead and looked into her eyes for a moment. "Whatever happens, Jess, just know I love you."

"I know, Dad," Jessica whispered. "I love you, too."

Horatio entered his office once more and shut the door, leaving Jessica standing there with an unexpected empty feeling inside her.

* * *

Oliver happily squealed as he felt the vibrations of the fire truck from where he sat in the front seat. His uncle picked him up in his arms and helped him down. All the children laughed and cheered when Calleigh started the sirens and lights of the Hummer.

Oliver was so excited, but deep down inside, he knew something wasn't right.

* * *

"Oh duh!" Jessica exclaimed, slapping her forehead. "Why didn't I realize it sooner?"

"What?" Walter inquired as he stood next to her.

"He's military!"

"Who?"

"That asshole trying to kill my son," Jessica explained as she began working on Ryan's computer again.

"How can you tell?" Walter asked as he watched her type.

"He keeps referring to time in hundreds, like military time. He's also referred to the restroom as the head. Who's the only group of people you know that does that?"

"The Marines," Natalia interjected.

"Exactly," Jessica said with a satisfied grin.

"So what are you going to do?" Walter inquired.

"Well I need to access the Marine database to look for dishonorable discharges," Jessica explained.

"But a hunch and zoo-lo time doesn't qualify as probable cause for a warrant," Natalia said.

"True, but we also don't have time to obtain a warrant."

"Jess, you're not going to do what I think you're about to do," Walter hesitantly said.

"Well that depends on what you think I'm going to do," Jessica responded. "If you think I'm about to hack into the Marine database to search for dishonorable discharges who live in Miami, then no, that's not what I'm about to do."

"Just don't get caught," Walter quietly said as he stepped away.

"Oh please, Wally," Jessica chuckled, "I designed the Marine database security system. I know all the loop holes like the back of my hand."

* * *

A window for a video conference request popped up on Horatio's computer. He recognized the address immediately, but didn't know whether he should answer it or not.

"_Who is it?"_ the voice asked.

"Special Agent Gibbs, from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service," Horatio answered.

"_Why is he calling?"_

"I don't have the slightest clue. Let me answer it and I'll try to get rid of him as fast as I can."

"_You have two minutes."_

Horatio accepted the call and the screen filled with an image of Gibbs in the MTAC control room at NCIS.

"Caine," he said, "May I ask what's going on?"

"I don't have the slightest clue, Gibbs," Horatio answered. "You're the one who called me."

"McGee tells me someone hacked into the Marine Information Database," Gibbs continued on. "He says the hack traces back to your lab."

"I don't know why anyone would do that," Horatio answered. He brushed his thumb against the side of his nose and moved his bent index and middle finger on the same hand ever so slightly.

Gibbs nodded his head. "Maybe it's a bug," he said. "I'll have Abby trace it again."

"Could be someone using a scrambler," Horatio suggested.

"We'll look into it," Gibbs said. "This is probably one big misunderstanding. Terribly sorry to bother you, Lieutenant."

"Quite alright, Special Agent Gibbs," Horatio replied. "Sorry to inconvenience you."

"Have a good day, Horatio," Gibbs said with a nod as he ended the call.

"_What was that about?"_

"I don't know," Horatio answered. "It's happened before. Someone used an IP scrambler and Gibbs's team traced a hack back to my lab."

"_You better hope for your grandson's sake it was just a mistake."_

* * *

Jessica's computer began beeping loudly.

"Damn it!" she exclaimed, pounding on the keys. "How did they find me?!"

Gibbs's face filled her screen and Jessica felt like her heart had stopped.

"Dr. Caine," he said in an even tone, "I need you to explain something to me."

"I'm sorry, Gibbs, but I don't have time to explain," Jessica said as she continued to type, not caring if Gibbs knew what she was doing. "My father is being held hostage and my son's life is in danger. I know I'm breaking a federal law right now, but I don't give two shits. I need to find out if there have been any dishonorable discharges from the Marines in the Miami area."

"Well all you had to do was ask," Gibbs said. "McGee! Find that out for Caine right now." He looked back at Jessica and smiled. "This explains your father's strange behavior."

"How did you know to contact me?" Jessica asked, knowing it wasn't the hack that got his attention.

"He signed the word bug," Gibbs explained. "I knew he wasn't able to actually talk, but it was enough for me to understand."

"Benjamin Weston," McGee's voice sounded from the computer, "Dishonorably discharged for embezzlement and fraud. Sending his information to you now, Dr. Caine."

"There you go, Dr. Caine," Gibbs said with his crooked smile. "I'll let you get back to work. Just let me know how everything goes."

"Will do, Gunny," Jessica said, playfully saluting him.

Jessica's fingers flew across the keyboard. She sighed and shook her head.

"Well that's a dead end," she muttered.

"What's wrong?" Natalia inquired.

"Benjamin Weston died six months ago from a heart attack," Jessica said, shaking her head. She stopped and stared at the screen. She clicked on a link and smiled to herself. "However, his fourteen year old son, Benjamin Weston II, is currently in foster care and still living in Miami."

"What do you got on him?" Natalia asked.

"Spent a little time in the juvenile detention center for vandalism, more specifically for using explosives," Jessica read off the computer screen. "How much you want to bet that's only a pipe bomb hidden in the preschool?"

"A pipe bomb's still a bomb," Natalia said. "Depending on where he hid it, that thing could do some major damage."

"I know," Jessica whispered, "I'm just trying to think of all the reasons my son would still be safe." She looked at the screen and scoffed. "Go figure," she muttered.

"Now what?" Natalia inquired.

"Guess who the arresting officer was for this kid's last pipe bomb attack," Jessica said with a smirk.

"Ok, how about Lieutenant Horatio Caine?" Natalia suggested.

"Close," Jessica chuckled. "You're looking on the wrong end of the spectrum though."

Natalia's eyes lit up when she finally understood.

"Detective Ryan Wolfe," she answered.

"The one and only," Jessica said with a smirk. "This guy doesn't give a shit about Horatio. He wants revenge against Ryan. Horatio's just the common denominator in this case; Oliver's Ryan's son, Horatio's Oliver's grandfather. Threatening the grandfather hits a little closer to home for some men."

"_I need to use the head," _Horatio suddenly said through the computer speakers.

"_No, not until I have my money!"_

"_Fuck off," _Horatio retorted as he stood from chair, _"Your game's over anyways, Benny."_

Jessica ran into the hall and collided with Horatio.

"I'm calling in the bomb squad," he quickly said as he joined them in the layout room.

"Good thinking," Jessica said as she began typing again. "But I have an idea."

"And I do love your ideas," Horatio said as he stood next to her, his arm around her waist.

He watched her navigate through Benjamin's computer's hard drive. She brought up a few windows and opened a couple of programs.

"There," she said with a satisfied grin, "Bomb's been deactivated."

"You were able to do that from here?" Natalia asked.

"Yeah, this guy obviously didn't want to be anywhere near that preschool, otherwise we would know who it was. So he created a bomb that was remotely wired and could be detonated from anywhere. I'm going to guess that was the bulk of his budget, so he used his computer as the detonator in order to save a little green."

Horatio smiled and wrapped his right arm around her shoulders, holding her against his chest. He kissed her temple and rested his cheek in her hair.

"That's my girl," he quietly said.

* * *

"So it was some pimple faced teenager that I charged with vandalism that was holding Horatio up in his office," Ryan inquired over dinner. He shook his head and stared at his food. "I can't believe it. How did we not know it was just a kid?"

"Voice distorters can make anyone sound like Darth Vader," Jessica said as she cut Oliver's spaghetti into smaller pieces. "And Darth Vader can be a scary mother fucker."

"I'm sorry, H," Ryan quietly said, "I should have pushed the charges to go further."

"Ryan, you couldn't have known this was going to happen," Horatio replied. "No one was injured and that's all I can ask for." He lifted the wine bottle on the table and looked at the young couple. "Who's driving tonight?"

Ryan and Jessica looked at each other. They had each finished off a glass, but they didn't seem to know how to answer the question.

"I will," Ryan quietly said, never taking his eyes off Jessica.

"No, Ryan-" Jessica began but Ryan cut her off.

"Jess, you always drive when we go out," he quietly said. "You're always the responsible one." He looked at her hand, her engagement ring shining brightly. He gently grasped it and held her hand protectively in his own. "I may be the older one, but I'm the one who still has some growing up to do. I've always just lived my life for me. Now I need to learn how to live my life for us. So go ahead, have another glass. I promise I'll get us home safely."

Jessica squeezed his hand and gave him a soft smile.

"Thanks Ry," she whispered.

Horatio smiled as he poured wine into Jessica's glass. He set the bottle back in place and leaned back in his chair. He looked at his daughter and her soon to be husband, their small son happily playing with his spaghetti more then he was eating it. He smiled to himself, loving the future he could already see.

"So, you really used to handcuff Jess when she threw a tantrum?" Ryan suddenly asked.

Horatio laughed and shook his head.

"When you say it that way you make it sound like I was a terrible parent," the redhead said with a smile.

"Well it seems a little extreme," Ryan said with a chuckle.

"Well you've never seen a seven year old who could force her fist through drywall," Horatio chuckled. "Besides, I used flexcuffs, never the real deal."

* * *

Jessica slowly approached the bed and sat next to Ryan. She looked at him with a worried expression before she finally spoke.

"Do you want to talk?" she whispered.

Ryan slowly nodded his head. "Yeah, I do." He looked at her with his large hazel eyes. "I'm sorry, Jess," he whispered. "I was wrong. I should have never made that bet. Gambling is an addiction, and I know this. I just thought I would be able to make one bet and call it good."

"Did you make another?" Jessica whispered.

"No," Ryan quietly said, shaking his head. "I was going to but something stopped me."

"What was it?"

"Oliver stared crying. I was next in line to place my bet and Oliver just stared wailing like no other. I tried to calm him down but nothing was working. So I stepped out of line to calm him down. By the time I got him to stop crying, the window had closed and they weren't taking anymore bets, no matter the amount you dropped." Ryan sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I stayed and watched the race, mostly because Oliver was loving it. He thought it was so cool the horses could run so fast and he could feel them running. I'm glad I stayed, too. The horse I was going to bet on lost. I would have thrown all the money I won in the trash."

"So Oliver stopped you," Jessica whispered.

A small shy smile played across Ryan's face. "Yeah, he did," he whispered.

Jessica stood from the bed and walked over to where her purse was sitting on a table. She dug out her keys and walked back to Ryan. He took her keys and looked them over. Attached to a keychain was a five year sobriety chip that had been converted into a picture frame. On one side was the chip, on the other a picture of Oliver.

"He's what keeps me sober," Jessica whispered.

* * *

**That moment when you realize the story's only halfway over.  
**


	17. Winter Wonderland

**Sorry, a little over a week ago I thought I posted this chapter. Something must have went wrong.**

**Enjoy this Christmas themed chapter...in August...**

* * *

Winter Wonderland

* * *

Oliver squealed and ran outside the airport terminal. He kicked the thick snow on the ground and rolled around in it. Jessica and Ryan laughed as their son experienced snow for the first time in his life.

"He's so cute," Ryan quietly said, slipping his hand into Jessica's.

"You're just saying that because he's your offspring," Jessica teased. She reached down and scooped her son into her arms. He felt bulky beneath his winter clothing.

A Dodge Durango skidded to a stop at the curb, the rims of the wheels scrapping against the cement edge of the sidewalk. Horatio climbed out and shook his head. He tossed a set of keys to Jessica, who managed to easily catch them with one hand.

"You're driving, Jess," he said as he began collecting their suitcases.

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten how to drive in snow," Jessica laughed as she opened the backdoor, a car seat already in place from the rental agency.

"It's been almost twenty years since I've driven in snow," Horatio said. "You tell me how I could remember."  
Jessica laughed as she climbed into the driver seat and started the car. She smiled as her father climbed in next to her. She reached out and held his hand as she drove.

Jessica watched as the familiar city from her past played before her like a movie. Everything seemed so foreign yet memorable. She turned down a small residential street and stopped outside a townhouse. Someone had painted it a different color, but Jessica would have known it from anywhere.

"It looks smaller then I remember," she quietly said.

"Well you were smaller when you lived in it," Horatio responded, still holding her hand.

Jessica slowly drove away, not wanting to draw attention to them as they drove past long forgotten memories.

She drove a few blocks over. She felt as if her heart had stopped when she looked at the charred remains of a white two story house.

"What happened?" Jessica whispered, pain filling her voice.

"Looks like a fire," Ryan quietly said.

"A house fire, two years ago," Horatio quietly said, reading something off his phone. "The newspaper article says the fire department suspected an electrically short. The house caught on fire while the family was away on vacation."

"Your house," Jessica whispered.

Horatio squeezed her hand. "It's not mine anymore, Bug," he whispered to her. "I sold it not long after you left for college."

"And you accepted the job with the Miami Dade Bomb Squad," Jessica quietly said as she drove away from the charred remains of her childhood.

"Life moves on," Horatio said, "For better and worse."

The SUV rolled through the snowy streets. The brakes groaned slightly as they stopped at a red light. Ryan looked out the window. Nailed to a telephone pole was a cross with the name "Dave" inscribed on it.

"I didn't think that would still be there," Horatio quietly said.

"Did you know Dave?" Ryan inquired.

"I only met him the day he died," Horatio explained. "He had been drinking heavily at a bar not too far from here. When he couldn't find anyone to take him home he drove himself. He only got four blocks away when he ran a red light and turned down the wrong side of the road. His car smashed into another, totaling both. He died at the hospital a few hours later. The woman in the other car lived, but miscarried."

"Were you the responding officer?" Ryan quietly asked.

Horatio slowly shook his head.

"I was still at the academy," he nearly whispered. "I was in the other car."

"Oh god, Horatio," Ryan gently said. He paused for a moment before he spoke again. "Who was the woman with you?"

"Jessabelle," Horatio whispered, "She was four months pregnant with our daughter."

Ryan was silenced beyond words.

"Jessabelle was pregnant with your daughter?" he finally whispered.

"Yes," Horatio quietly responded. "She was an accident. We think she was conceived the first time we had sex. We hadn't planned on it. I wasn't even planning on inviting her over that night. But it just kind of happened, and we rolled with it. A little over two months later she discovered she was pregnant. She didn't tell anyone at first, not even me. She just continued on with her normal routine. But I noticed she wasn't acting like herself. She was slower on the obstacle course and during our field exercises.

"Finally I asked her what was going on. She said she was pregnant, but didn't want to tell the Lieutenant. She didn't want to get pulled from the program. We kept it a secret a little longer. We decided one day though we needed to tell the Lieutenant. Jessabelle was a little over four months pregnant and the chances of hurting the baby were increasing. We had a free weekend, so we went to the Chicago Hospital for an ultrasound and check up. That's when we learned it was a little girl. We were driving back to the academy when we decided on a name. Then that man hit us head on. We were both rushed back to the hospital. Jessabelle miscarried almost immediately when she arrived."

Horatio fell silent for a moment as he watched the tall buildings of his old home pass him by.

"We lost our little girl that day," he nearly whispered. "Then we drifted apart. She went to Brian and I was left alone."

Ryan reached forward and gently grasped Horatio's shoulder. He squeezed it reassuringly.

"I'm sorry, H," he whispered.

"Her name was going to be Elizabeth Renee Caine," Horatio said so softly Ryan almost didn't hear him.

* * *

The Durango groaned to a stop at the sidewalk. Jessica silently climbed from the car and walked through the gate and into the field. Ryan hadn't missed the sign or headstones and quickly went after her. He followed her footsteps and found her sitting on her knees in the cold snow. A gray marble slab stood before her. Ryan knelt beside her, not caring how cold the ground was. He reached out and gingerly brushed the snow from the headstone. He held her hand as he read the three names engraved in the stone. Oliver came toddling over to them seemingly out of no where. Ryan gathered him in his arms and just held the small child. Jessica was silent for several minutes before she finally found her voice again.

"Mom, Dad, there's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Ryan, my fiancé. We're getting married in June. I love him very much. This is our son, Oliver. He's Deaf, just like you, Dad."

Ryan looked at the headstone and suddenly felt tears form in his eyes. He touched the cold stone again as tears crawled down his face.

"Hello Lieutenant, Dr. Johnson," he whispered in a thick voice, "It's nice to finally meet you. Thank you for letting me be with your daughter. She's one of the best things to ever come into my life."

Jessica leaned her head against Ryan's shoulder as the tears finally crept down her face.

"I've missed you guys so much," she whispered to the cold air.

* * *

The Durango rumbled over the snow covered trail. Ryan smirked when he noticed Horatio's hand tightly grasping the handle along the top of his doorframe.

"You're going too fast," he said.

Jessica smirked and continued on, plowing through the thick snow.

"I'm doing just fine," she said to her father.

"You're going too fast," Horatio repeated.

"Horatio, you're just not used to riding in the snow."

"I'm accustomed enough to know you're going too fast."

"Fine, when we roll down the hill you can tell me 'I told you so' then."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Soon enough they began passing small snow covered cabins. Horatio read the numbers mounted on the side of the buildings until the one he was looking for came into view.

"This is it," he said. He was a little too slow to speak and Jessica began rolling past it. She cranked the wheel and pulled a quick U-turn. The Durango slid sideways on the snow covered path and Horatio braced himself in his seat.

"Damn it, Jessica!" he angrily exclaimed. "I told you to slow down!"

"Geez, Dad, we're fine," Jessica scoffed. "I'll admit I took it a little fast, but I know what I'm doing."

"Well excuse me for being concerned for the safety of my family! If I remember right it's been awhile since you've driven in snow, too!"

"And the last time I did it was in Pennsylvania in the mountains. I think I can handle a little hill in Illinois."

"Hill? We're on the side of a fucking mountain!"

"Oh whatever."

Ryan chuckled as he climbed from the Durango. He lifted his sleeping son into his arms and carried him to the cabin. Oliver's eyes opened ever so slightly and he smiled up at his father. He closed his eyes again and pressed his hand over Ryan's heart. Ryan smiled, a little happy knowing his son still took comfort in feeling his heart beat, just as he did when he was a baby. Before they knew he was deaf.

He stood on the steps, watching Jessica and Horatio continue to argue as they carried the first load of luggage to the cabin.

"Jessica, you can't just drive like a wild woman because you think you know what you're doing," Horatio continued on as he unlocked the door. "Your son was in the backseat. If you had rolled that car he would be the first to go. He's too tiny to withstand the force. You know that as well as I do."

"Dad, we were fine," Jessica counter argued. "I wouldn't have done it if it put us in any danger. I'm a lot smarter then I look. I hear I get that from my father."

"Are you saying I look stupid?"

"No, I'm saying you look incredibly intelligent, but you're even smarter then people perceive you to be."

Ryan smirked as he walked into the living room of the cabin. He unbundled his sleeping son and laid him on the couch. He carefully covered his tiny body with a blanket and kissed his forehead. Oliver made a tiny noise but seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Ryan pulled his coat and boats off and tossed them to the side. He built a fire in the mantle and worked to build it up, still able to hear his girlfriend and soon to be father-in-law's voices bickering.

"Dah?" a tiny voice said from somewhere behind him. Ryan turned to see his son's eye open ever so slightly. The deep ocean blue glowed in the light of the fire. He looked so much like his mother in that moment.

Ryan smiled and walked over to the couch. He lifted his son into his arms and settled onto the couch. He laid on his side and held Oliver close, throwing the blanket over their bodies. He smiled and kissed his son's forehead. Oliver's tiny hand pressed against his chest and Ryan placed his atop it.

"_I love you,"_ Oliver signed against Ryan's chest. Ryan kissed his son's forehead again and returned the gesture, signing _"I love you"_ against Oliver's chest.

"Jessica, you need to learn to be more responsible," Horatio demanded as he shrugged his coat off and pulled his snow covered hat off his head.

"Horatio, we're fine, Oliver's fine, everything's fine," Jessica retorted. "Can we please just drop this already? I think we're beating a dead horse."

"I'd rather you beat a dead horse then risk injuring your family."

"My family's fine, and so is yours. In case you haven't noticed, Ryan and Oliver are just fine."

Horatio opened his mouth but closed it again quickly. He looked around the kitchen they were standing in.

"Where are Oliver and Ryan?" he quietly asked.

Jessica stopped and stared. She quickly walked into the living room, Horatio close behind her. A fire crackled in the mantle, casting a warm glow over the room. She stood behind the couch and leaned forward. She smiled at the sight of her fiancé and their son cuddled together on the couch, fast asleep. Horatio wrapped his arms around her waist and held her gently against his chest from behind. He softly kissed her neck and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Reminds me of someone else I know when they were his age," he whispered.

Jessica smiled and placed her hands atop his where they rested against her body. Horatio gently pulled one hand free and held her left hand, softly brushing his thumb over her engagement ring.

* * *

Ryan awoke when someone softly kissed him. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at the sight of his soon to be wife kneeling beside the couch. He leaned forward and kissed her again.

"Hello beautiful," he quietly said, his vocal chords still working to wake up.

"Good morning to you, too," Jessica quietly responded.

"Morning? Did I really sleep through the rest of the day?" Ryan chuckled as he rolled onto his back, pulling Jessica on top of him.

"No," Jessica said with a smirk, "You've only been asleep a little over an hour. Oliver woke up about ten minutes ago and demanded to go play outside in the snow."

"So you locked him outside alone?" Ryan chuckled as he ran his hands across her back.

"No, Horatio's outside with him."

"Horatio playing outside in the snow? This is something I have to see."

"You will," Jessica whispered as she leaned down to kiss him seductively. _"After_ you give me what I want."

Ryan chuckled and rolled on the couch again. He draped the blanket that had fallen to the floor over their bodies as he worked to open Jessica's jeans.

"You sure we have time?" he quietly asked as he slid her jeans and panties down her long legs. "I mean, I think the fastest we've ever been able to finish was ten minutes."

Jessica giggled as Ryan's jeans glided down his body and she ran her hands over his bare butt.

"I think ten minutes is plenty of time," she whispered. "Oliver's fascinated with the snow, so he'll want to be out as long as possible. Horatio knows how long a child his age should be outside in this kind of weather. They'll be outside for at least another twenty minutes. Maybe thirty if Oliver can win over Horatio's heart and convince him to stay out just a little longer."

Jessica gasped and moaned as Ryan slid inside her body. He kissed her passionately as he quickly began his routine of gentle thrusts. Jessica wrapped her arms around his still clothed upper body and curled her legs against his bare hips.

"Ryan," she chuckled, "If you keep up at this pace we won't finish in ten minutes."

"I was thinking of going for fifteen minutes," he whispered in her ear, "because I'm not in the mood for a quickie."

"What are you in the mood for?" Jessica quietly asked, though she knew the answer.

"I want to make love to you," Ryan quietly explained, "because I want to feel you around me for as long as possible."

Jessica gasped softly and held him closer against her chest.

"Good, because this is what I really wanted," she whispered.

They climaxed together some time later, quickly redressing afterwards. Jessica led Ryan across the room and to the giant picture window. They stood together as they watched Horatio play with his only grandchild in the deep snow.

The snow came up to Oliver's waist and he pushed his way through in his tiny snowsuit. Horatio chuckled and lifted him into his arms. He kissed Oliver's cheek and held him close for a moment. Then he set him back on the ground and they began piling the snow up together. Soon their intentions became clear as the snow fort began to take shape. Oliver squealed with delight as he sat inside his new fort. He picked up handfuls of snow and began throwing them at Horatio. Horatio playfully dodged Oliver's attacks and pretend to duck for cover outside the snow fort. Oliver clumsily clamored to his feet and ran after Horatio. He sat on his grandfather's back and laughed at his victory.

Ryan gently wrapped his arms around Jessica's waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. She leaned the side of her head against his and smiled.

"What are you thinking about?" she whispered.

"How amazing our son is," Ryan quietly responded. "He can't hear but he understood everything Horatio was doing perfectly."

Jessica smiled again as Ryan held her a little tighter. His hands wandered to her pelvic region, resting between her hips.

"Now what are you thinking about?" Jessica gently asked him.

Ryan was quiet, hesitating to answer. They stood together for several minutes silently.

"Ryan?" Jessica quietly said when she heard him sniff and knew he had tears forming in his eyes.

"I want another one," he whispered in a thick voice. "I want another baby."

* * *

Jessica and Horatio silently prepared dinner together. Though she hadn't said a word, Horatio knew something was bothering his daughter. He walked up behind her and gently massaged her shoulders.

"Tell me what's on your mind," he whispered in her ear.

Jessica shrugged and continued her work.

"Come on, Jess," Horatio gently encouraged. "You can tell me."

"Ryan admitted he wants another baby," Jessica quietly said.

"So? Nothing wrong with that," Horatio said.

"There is, I can't have another baby, Dad. I don't have a uterus anymore, remember? You and Ryan consented to have it removed."

"To save you time and pain," Horatio explained, a little defensively.

"I know, and I understand why you did it. Had I been conscious, I would have made the same decision. It's just hard. I love my son so much. I just want another baby to love. I want another part of Ryan to love."

"What about adopting?" Horatio gently asked. "You know adoption means just as much as procreating."

"Of course I do," Jessica said with a small smile. "I know from firsthand experience that an adopted parent can love you even more then a biological parent."

"Then what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, I just don't know."

Horatio held her gently against his chest and kissed her temple.

"Don't fret about it right now," he whispered. "We're on vacation. Just relax and roll with the punches."

"Sorry," Jessica quietly muttered.

"Nothing to be sorry about," Horatio said, smiling into her hair. "You still suffer from seasonal depression, don't you?"

Jessica chuckled and shook her head. "The whole reason I moved to Florida was to get away from the cold and snow forever. I didn't think coming back and living in it for such a short amount of time would have such a major effect on me. I've been here less then ten hours and I already feel like I did all those years I lived up north."

"Don't worry about it," Horatio gently encouraged her. "We'll be back in Miami before you know it, and you'll be missing the snow." He released his hold on her and backed away. "I'm going to tell the weirdo and your offspring dinner's almost ready." He kissed her temple once more before he walked away.

Horatio walked through the cabin and into the living room. He stopped and lingered in the doorway and smiled to himself. Ryan was lying on his back on the floor, Oliver balanced on the bottom's of his feet. He was making airplane noises as he carefully zoomed his son through the air. Oliver laughed and squealed with delight, clapping his hands in excitement. Ryan lowered his feet and scooped his son into his arms. He held him against his chest and gently stroked Oliver's back. They were both silent, words not needed to express their love for one another.

Horatio smiled to himself, his heart filled with joy at the sight of his young grandson and the man who would soon be marrying his daughter. He had never felt so happy in his life before at the thought of the family he had come to cherish.

* * *

Ryan couldn't help but smile as the snowmobile zoomed over the dense white powder on the ground. He wrapped his arms tightly around Jessica's waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. The world flew past them as the chilly air bit at his cheeks. He watched another snowmobile come into sight. They easily passed it, the other one moving more slowly. Ryan looked over his shoulder. Oliver was safely strapped to Horatio's chest, only his eyes visible between his hat and bulky scarf, his eyes shielded with a child's sized pair of ski goggles.

The snowmobile caught air as they hit a small hill. Ryan felt his heart skip a beat from excitement, as the tracks made contact with the ground once again. Jessica pulled a quick u-turn and they raced back towards where Horatio had been driving. The vehicle slowed and eventually came to a stop before where Horatio waited, his snowmobile's engine idling.

"Enjoy your fist snowmobile ride?" Horatio inquired, noting Ryan's excited face.

"That was really fun," Ryan admitted. "How did Ollie like the ride?"

"Couldn't stop squealing the entire time," Horatio chuckled, gently touching his grandson's head. "Shall we head back?"

"Yeah, I'm freezing," Ryan said. "I can only imagine what my son feels like."

"Don't worry," Jessica chuckled as they began slowly driving back to the rental station, "I wrapped him up good and tight."

The drive back to the cabin was quiet. Oliver immediately began snoozing in his car seat. Ryan carefully pulled off his hat and gently stroked his slightly sweaty hair.

"How old were you the first time you rode a snowmobile, Jess?" Ryan inquired as he continued to stroke his son's hair.

"About Oliver's age," Jessica answered.

"And how old were you when you drove one by yourself?" Horatio asked, the sarcasm evident in his voice.

"Oh geez, Dad, you're never going to let me live that one down, are you?"

"I never let you live anything down," Horatio chuckled.

"How old were you?" Ryan inquired. "I can already tell this is going to be a good story."

"I was seven," Jessica reluctantly admitted. "I stole Horatio's snowmobile when we were camping in January."

"And you totaled it," Horatio chuckled. "Flipped it three times, wrapped it right around a tree, and broke both your legs."

"Hey, I managed to slide off after the first roll," Jessica retorted.

"Which is how you broke your legs," Horatio laughed again. He stopped for a moment and sighed. "I was frightened though. I had taken you on an ice fishing trip for winter break and nearly lost you. I tore through that wrecked, trying to find your tiny body, but you were ten feet away, buried beneath a snow drift." Horatio leaned over and kissed her temple. "Brian never let me take you out of town again, unless he went along, too."

"Did you really think you could drive that thing by yourself?" Ryan asked, trying to lighten the sudden mood shift.

"I'd watch Horatio do it tons of time," Jessica innocently said. "I figured I knew what I was doing."

"But you forgot the difference between the break and the accelerator," Horatio interjected.

"It's an easy mistake to make when you're seven," Jessica retorted.

"Yes, a mistake that resulted in both your legs in a waist high cast. I had to carry you everywhere for two months."

"You could have used the wheelchair the hospital lent you."

"No, I wanted to keep my little girl with me as much as possible."

Jessica smiled at Horatio and held his hand.

"Thanks Dad," she whispered.

* * *

Jessica and Ryan climbed into their bed in their room. The cabin bedroom was small but it felt so cozy.

"I'm so glad we came here," Jessica said.

"I know," Ryan responded, "This is probably the best vacation I've had in awhile."

"Even if it's cold?"

"It's not too cold," Ryan whispered, kissing her gently. "Besides, I have you to keep me warm."

"And I know the best way to warm you up," Jessica seductively whispered.

Jessica leaned over and kissed Ryan. She trailed her hands down his body and reached into his pajama pants. Ryan stifled a moan.

"Jess, Horatio and Oliver are just in the next room," Ryan whispered.

"Don't worry, Horatio's a pretty sound sleeper and our son can't hear. He's deaf, remember?" Jessica said as she pulled Ryan's shirt off over his head trailed kisses down his chest.

Ryan felt himself grow hard and loved the feeling of Jessica's lips all over his body. Ryan rolled over and pinned Jessica beneath him. He pulled her shirt off and kissed her bare breasts. Jessica moaned under his touch. Ryan pulled Jessica's pajama pants and panties off together and threw them off to the side.

"Loose them now, Wolfe!" Jessica barked, indicating Ryan's pants.

Ryan slipped his fingers inside Jessica and fingered her as he pulled off his pajama pants and boxers.

"Ohhhh Ryan!" Jessica moaned, feeling the muscles in her thighs tighten.

Ryan was so horny. He slid into Jessica in one thrust and felt her muscles contract tightly around him. Jessica gasped at the sudden intrusion. Ryan quickly started thrusting deep inside her. Jessica started matching him thrust for thrust. Their bodies moved and rubbed together, causing the greatest friction between them, raising the temperature in the room for sure.

Ryan could feel his orgasm approaching when he suddenly felt a small hand wrap around his big toe. Ryan stopped dead in his tracks. Jessica looked at him with a concerned expression on her face.

"What's wrong, Ryan?" she asked.

Ryan didn't respond. He turned and looked over his shoulder. He could see a set of ocean blue eyes and a mess of brown hair just barely able to peer up at him over the top of the mattress.

"_Daddy," _Oliver signed, _"What are you doing to Mommy?"_

Ryan didn't know what to do. "I…uh…um…" he stuttered. Oliver titled his head to the left in the same confused manner Ryan did when he didn't understand what was going on.

Suddenly Horatio was standing in the open doorway. He hastily looked around the room and found Oliver. He ran in and scooped up his grandson and jetted out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Jessica sat there with her mouth open. She started laughing uncontrollably.

"Oh my gosh," she said while laughing, "Did our son really just walk in on us having sex?"

Ryan's ears burned so dark red that Jessica was sure they could have burst into flames. She leaned up and kissed each of them.

"Relax," Jessica said, "It doesn't cause any long term emotional effects. Our son isn't going to be traumatized or become a nymphomaniac when he's older."

Ryan continued to lean above her uncomfortable. "It's not so much Oliver that I'm embarrassed about. I mean yeah I was kind of shocked to see him standing there and all, not knowing what to tell him, but it's more…..." Ryan continued to stutter.

Jessica chuckled and kissed his neck. "Are you embarrassed because my father was once again standing two feet away from our naked, love lusted bodies, pulling our son out of the room?"

Ryan looked away from her and the blush crept onto his face. Jessica kissed his neck.

"Ryan, it's not like Horatio doesn't know we have sex. I mean why else would Oliver be existing? It's nothing to be embarrassed about. A lot of people have sex, including Horatio."

"I know, it's just…" Ryan tried to say.

Jessica tightened her kegel muscles around him and Ryan became distracted by the sudden pull inward. Jessica relaxed her muscles and looked into Ryan's eyes.

"Now get over it and let's finish!" Jessica ordered, flexing her kegel muscles again.

* * *

Ryan woke up before Jessica the next morning. He looked at his fiancée sleeping next to him. Jessica had never cared much for sexy sleepwear and usually crashed wearing a pair of sweatpants or pajama pants and a t-shirt, often stolen from Ryan's clothes. Ryan admired her beauty as she dozed wearing a pair of red plaid pajama pants and undoubtedly his white Florida State Police Academy t-shirt, that was at least two sizes too big for her slender body.

Ryan carefully crawled out of bed. He walked down the hall to the kitchen to make some much needed coffee. When he got there he was greeted by Horatio sitting at the table drinking from a mug and reading the newspaper.

"Good morning, Mr. Wolfe," Horatio said, his eyes never leaving the paper. "I took the liberty to make coffee. I hope you like the Starbucks brand. I don't care much for it but Jessie Bug loves it." Horatio gestured towards the counter where the coffee maker sat.

Ryan walked over and poured himself a cup. He sat at the table across from his soon to be father-in-law. Ryan still felt awkward from Oliver's intrusion on him and Jessica having sex.

"You know, Ryan," Horatio said, "You shouldn't feel embarrassed. It's not like I haven't seen two people having sex before. It's a natural human occurrence."

Ryan chuckled nervously. "I think it's just the fact that I experienced the greatest fear of every parent and teenager last night at the same time."  
"And what would that be?" Horatio asked, looking up from his newspaper.

"My child walked in on me having sex and my girlfriend's father caught me in bed with his only daughter. And the fact that he owns a few guns doesn't help." Ryan smiled at Horatio.

Horatio laughed and took a drink of his coffee. "Mr. Wolfe, I've very happy and proud to say that someday you will become my son."

Ryan sighed. "Only six more months." He shook his head slowly. "I can't believe it; in six months I'm going to have a wife and a son." Ryan looked at Horatio and felt his heart swell. "And a father. I think that's the one thing that I've wanted the most in life since my parents died. Someone to call my father."

Horatio stood from the table and pulled Ryan out of his chair. He embraced the younger man in a binding hug.

"The one thing that I've wanted since I adopted Jessica," he said, "Was to find a man that would make her whole again. James took part away of my baby and she's been damaged most of her life." Horatio pulled back and looked Ryan square in the eye. "Ryan Wolfe, you are that man. Please take care of my daughter. You know how precious life is, especially in our line of work. Never take a single day for granite and live each day to its fullest. I'm proud to call you my son and the father of my grandson. Thank you for being just what Jessica needed."  
Ryan blinked back tears as he pulled Horatio in for another hug. "Thanks Dad," he whispered. Their prefect father-son moment was interrupted by a small voice yelling down the hall.

"Pppaa-ppaaaa!" Oliver called in his crude little voice, "Pppaaa-pppaaa!"

Horatio smiled and chuckled. "Excuse me but my _grandson_ is paging me." Horatio turned and walked from the kitchen down the hall.

He intercepted Jessica in the doorway. "Good morning, Bug," he said, placing a kiss on her temple. "Good morning, Daddy," Jessica mumbled back.

Jessica walked straight to the coffee maker and poured herself a mug. She took a few gulps before setting the mug on the table. She wrapped her arms around Ryan's waist and kissed him.

"Good morning handsome." she said, "Did you and Daddy H have a good talk?"

Ryan chuckled, knowing she knew he and Horatio had talked about the night before.

"Yes, and we both agree, it's time we became a family."

* * *

"I think my boobs are getting saggy," Jessica said as Ryan joined her in the shower.

"What? No, why would you think that?" Ryan inquired as he ran his hands over her wet skin.

"Because, I'm thirty years old and I had a baby not too long ago," Jessica continued, pouring body wash into their hands. "I mean, look. I used to have nice perky breasts and now they're hanging lower."

Ryan cupped her breasts in his hands and squeezed, letting the body wash drip down her skin.

"No, I think they're the same as they've always been," he said, continuing on with fondling her.

"No, they're getting saggy. I'm getting old lady boobs."

"Oh please don't mention old lady boobs when I'm trying to get hard," Ryan said, moving his hands lower.

"But they're not as perky as they used to be," Jessica continued on, ignoring Ryan's forming erection. "They're hanging lower because I lost the weight from when I was breast feeding Oliver. I have excess skin because I'm not lactating anymore."

"You want implants?" Ryan jokingly asked, still trying to get her legs wrapped around his body.

"Oh hell no, with our field of work I'd pop one and the silicone leak would kill me."

"Speaking of silicone," Ryan said, pulling a bottle of lube seemingly out of nowhere.

"Ryan Wolfe, I am freaking out about my breasts and all you want to do is have sex?"

"Yeah, because Horatio and Oliver are outside, which means I can release my inner screamer."

"How can you even think about sex at a time like this?" Jessica asked, trying not to react as Ryan slid his lube coated fingers around inside her.

"Because you're making me examine your breasts," Ryan groaned as he continued to grow harder. "You've got me feeling you up and checking them out. Yes, I'll admit it, they're smaller, but only because you stopped breast feeding our son several months ago. Of course they're going to get smaller, you dim wit. Now can we please fuck like rabbits?"

"How can you expect me to have sex at a time like this?" Jessica retorted. "I mean, my breasts are shrinking, they're sagging, I'm getting old. I can't just bang you all- DAY!"

Jessica cried out as Ryan swiftly lifted her onto his hips and began driving himself deep into her body. She suddenly moaned loudly as he thrusted with an incredible amount of force, hitting her sweet spot every time. Her entire body tingled as her nerves began rapidly buzzing as she climaxed. But Ryan kept thrusting, causing Jessica to orgasm twice more, before finally hitting his release, screaming wordlessly. They stood together panting for air as they disentangled their bodies. Jessica looked at him, her eyes a cobalt blue.

"You really like loud shower sex," she gasped.

"Oh yeah, and the best part," Ryan said, leaning in to kiss her neck, "Our son's deaf, so he'll never know."

* * *

Oliver laughed in his funny little voice as he played inside the giant cardboard box. Horatio playfully crawled after him, making the child squeal with joy when his grandfather caught him.

"Go figure, we buy him the nicest presents and all our son wants to do is play in the boxes," Ryan chuckled while he and Jessica curled together on the couch.

"Well it wasn't a complete waste," Jessica giggled. "Look how much fun Horatio's having, too."

Ryan chuckled again and kissed her cheek. He picked up the black velvet ring box he had given Jessica and carefully opened it. Inside was a beautifully designed ring. Three platinum bands intertwining together, each with its own stone. The top band had an emerald, the bottom a peroit, and between the two sat a diamond. Their names engraved on the band that corresponded with their birthstone. Ryan carefully slid it onto Jessica's right index finger. She smiled and turned to kiss him.

"It's beautiful, just like everything else you've given me over the years," she whispered.

"It's designed so you can add more stones and bands," Ryan whispered. "For when we have more babies."

Jessica smiled again and curled her body further into his. She kissed his pulse and nuzzled her face against his neck.

"How did you know I want more?" she quietly asked.

"Because, I know everything about you, Jessica Caine," Ryan quietly responded.

They continued to silently watch Horatio and Oliver play. Ryan smiled as grandson and grandfather conveyed so much to each other without the use of words. It was like they already knew everything the other was going to say. Horatio playfully wrestled with the small child, pretending to loose against Oliver. Oliver happily laughed and cuddled against his grandfather's chest. He laid his cheek against Horatio's shirt and felt his heart beat rhythmically within his ribcage. He pressed his small hand against Horatio's sternum and Horatio smiled when he felt Oliver's hand form the sign _"I love you."_

* * *

The fire casted a warm glow over the room, the other lights turned off. Blankets were spread across the floor in front of the mantel and one wrapped around their naked bodies as they made tender love before the fire. Jessica smiled up at Ryan as he calmly thrusted inside her. He was so large and hard, but so gentle, never hurting her. Her legs were spread far apart, making room for his body to enter her own. His thrusts were like the ocean waves, constant but powerful. He leaned down and locked his lips against her own.

"Why am I not surprised you planned this?" she lightly chuckled as she felt Ryan move within her, pushing her muscles to the max, but never breaking her.

"Because, I've always wanted to make love to a beautiful woman in front of a fireplace," Ryan said with a playful smirk. "I just never found the right woman."

"You hopeless romantic," Jessica chuckled, wrapping her legs around his waist. She sighed and closed her eyes, feeling the pleasure within her spike with every thrust. "At least you're a hopeless romantic with a huge penis. Damn, you feel so good every time. I've never met a man as big as you."

Ryan chuckled and nuzzled his face against her neck.

"Do you ever feel like our bodies were made for each other?" he quietly asked her.

"I think so," Jessica whispered in response. "Why do you ask?"

"Because the other women I've been with always complained I was too much. I didn't think I was that big. I mean, I knew I was a little large. I had seen the other guys in the locker room growing up, but I didn't think I was that much bigger. But those women would complain sometimes, claiming I was hurting them. But with you, it's like your body knows me. It's felt like that since that first night we spent together."

"Oh dear lord, I will never forget that," Jessica gasped. "That was the biggest, hardest, hottest thing I've ever had inside me. I mean yeah, I was a virgin, but I knew what a dildo felt like, so it wasn't a completely foreign feeling. I'd had different objects inside me before. I fooled around with guys in college all the time, but never more then just their fingers and tongue. But that moment, oh good god, I couldn't believe it! You just kept pushing in and the whole time I was thinking 'There has to be an end. He's got to stop at some point. He can't keep going forever.' But it just kept going, until you finally stopped and I couldn't believe that was your penis! I was starting to question what I had gotten myself into, but hot damn, that was the best orgasm I had ever had! I felt so empty when you finally pulled out, like something that should have been there all along was gone."

"Can I ask why you didn't want to have sex for so long after that first night?" Ryan inquired as he tried to speed up his thrusts just a little, feeling the beginning effects deep within him.

"I thought you didn't want to have sex," Jessica replied as a flush began creeping up her neck. "I tried to initiate something, but it always ended differently then what I planned. I thought jerking you off while we were watching a movie would direct things the way I wanted them to go, but you always took a different turn. I got the same end result, but never the way I intended."

"Sorry," Ryan whispered, "I was afraid of hurting you. You seemed so sore the day after. I didn't want to cause you more discomfort."

"Ryan, I'm always sore afterwards, but in a good way."

"Really? Even now?"

"Yes, I've just grown accustomed to not being able to cross my legs," Jessica giggled as she kissed his neck. "I'd rather never sit ladylike again, if it means being with the greatest man every night." Her breath caught in her throat and Jessica suddenly cried out as every nerve in her body came to life. A euphoric noise burst through her lips as she arched her back, pressing her body against Ryan's. Ryan could feel her body coming to life beneath him, as he released his essence into her body.

They laid together on the floor, tangled in the blankets, trying to calm their pounding hearts and buzzing nerves. Jessica rolled on top of Ryan and rested her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and just listened to his heart beat, feeling it match the tempo of her own. She ran her fingers across his sternum, toying with the short brown hair that was scattered across his skin.

"Why do we seem to frequently have philosophical discussions while having sex?" Jessica whispered against his chest.

"Don't know," Ryan quietly responded. "Maybe that's why our son is so smart."

Jessica giggled and propped herself up on her forearms, leaning over Ryan. She smiled before she bent down to kiss him.

"Better then swearing and making wordless noises," Ryan smirked at her.

"I guess so, though I do enjoy it when we break down to that point."

Ryan leaned up towards her and captured her lips in a steamy kiss. He slid back inside her and began gently thrusting his hips upwards. Jessica moaned quietly as Ryan's lips wandered down her neck and to her chest. Her fingers laced into his hair and cradled his head as he teased her nipples with his mouth.

"Oh god, Ryan," she managed in a hushed whisper.

* * *

Water sprayed against Ryan's sunglasses as he sped across the surface of the ocean. It was seventy-one degrees, and it felt marvelous. After two weeks of Illinois snow and winter, Ryan was more then happy to be home in Miami.

The sun beat down on his head, kissing his skin with its heat. Light danced across the water's glassy surface, but his eyes were well protected. He sped past the second jet ski, Jessica smirking at him with the challenge. She cut in front of him out of nowhere, causing Ryan to veer hard to the left. He pushed hard down on the gas and raced after her. His jet ski sliced across the surface of the water, catching air every few waves. Ryan sped past Jessica and tore across the ocean. He circled back and looked at where Jessica sat in her motionless jet ski. He rode over to her, stopping next to her. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she had a small scowl on her face.

"You purposely gave me the ride that was almost out of gas," Jessica said in a bitter tone.

"No, I just like the green one better," Ryan defended. "If there's anyone you should be mad at its Horatio, for not checking the gas level."

"What are you blaming on me?" Horatio asked as his speedboat came to rest by them. Oliver squealed loudly from where he sat strapped into his car seat, wearing a life vest and tiny sunglasses.

"Dadddeeee!" Oliver happily exclaimed, reaching his hands towards his father.

Horatio scooped him up and carefully handed him to Ryan. Oliver began touching everything on the jet ski, trying to figure out what it did. Ryan pulled his key out, not wanting his son to accidentally send them flying.

"I was saying you didn't check how much gas these things had and Jess ran out," Ryan explained, pulling the key to his jet ski from Oliver's mouth.

"Well the little shit should have known better then to assume the tank was full," Horatio said, tossing a towline to Jessica. He helped pull the jet ski into place and attached it behind his boat.

"Well I would have thought you'd keep your equipment in better condition," Jessica sassed. She carefully slid onto the back of Ryan's jet ski and smiled at her son.

"Muuummmmmm!" Oliver excitedly said in his funny little voice. He pointed to the water and excitedly flapped his arms. "Waaaah! Waaaah!"

"_Can't swim here, Ollie,"_ Jessica signed. _"We have to go back to Grandpa's house."_

Oliver looked at her and then at Horatio. "Pa-pa!" he loudly said, almost like he was barking an order at Horatio. Horatio chuckled and accepted his grandson back, strapping him into his car seat on the boat.

"I'll see you two back at the house," Horatio said as he started his boat once again.

"How about I race you there and if I win I fuck your daughter in your bed again?" Ryan asked as he started the engine of his jet ski and took off.

"You little ass monkey," Horatio muttered under his breath as he sped away, grandson and jet ski safely in tow.


End file.
